The Church of Saint Simeon was built in the year 490 AD on Mount Simeon. It served as an impregnable fortress during the days of Saladin. St. Simeon is a part of the “Dead Cities” listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
On Thursday June 16th, 2016, St. Simeon was targeted by the Russian air force for a second time at 9.00 am, causing damage to the site. The strike consisted of 3 missiles, two hit outside the compound causing superficial damage to the external walls (locations 2 and 3 on the map below). The third hit inside the compound across from the south façade of the church of St. Simeon (Location 1 on the map below). That third missile was a cluster bomb, which spread its load across the site causing widespread damage.
