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Joe Snell: I just spoke with someone on the ground in Syria about what's happening with the Christians in Aleppo. He said many have tried to leave within the past few days but are unable. He said it was becoming too dangerous too quickly.
Many Christians in Aleppo are from the northeast, near Qamishli and Hasakah, and study in the city. Some students fled home this morning. About 300 planned to leave on busses this afternoon.
Three busses drove to Aleppo to pick the students up outside the main city and bring them back to Qamishli and Hasakah. As they approached, one man said the busses were peppered with bullets. One driver and an assistant were injured. The students watched this happen.
The students fled to a nearby gas station and began heading to the airport because there were reports it was still secure. The airport eventually fell to the rebels. The students hid outside the airport.
Meanwhile, the Syriac Orthodox Bishop of Aleppo, Mar Boutros Kassis, sent busses to the students and brought them back to the main city. The man said they're now staying at a church inside the city and figuring out how to get home.