ALEPPO (Catholic Culture)—Islamic forces in Syria launched an artillery attack on Armenian sections of the city of Aleppo on April 25, AsiaNews service reports.

The heavy bombardment, an obvious violation of a ceasefire agreement, killed at least 17 people. Residents of the city’s Armenian district stated their belief that the attack was deliberately timed for the 100th anniversary of the start of the Armenian genocide– an anniversary that had been observed at churches in the neighborhood the previous day.

The biggest indicator of this belief is that unexploded bombs were found with message “Martyr Enver Pasha” written on them, which notes one of the leaders of the Young Turk movement who perpetrated the Armenian Genocide.

Because of this, residents charge that Islamic forces in Aleppo are receiving assistance from Turkey, and blasted Syria’s President Assad for his failure to protect the Christian minority.