8 people were killed and dozens injured on Sunday, October 6 by mortar fire that hit a Christian neighborhood in central Damascus.

"Three mortar shells fired by terrorists landed... in the Qassaa district, killing eight civilians and wounding 24 others," SANA said.

Another three people were injured when a fourth mortar slammed into the Greek Holy Cross church in the neighborhood, it added.

Armenian-born Hovik Kardatsogian (Okmushian) born 1958 was killed in the shelling, aztagdaily said.

More than 100,000 people have died in Syria's conflict, which began in early 2011 with peaceful demonstrations seeking more democracy but deteriorated into a sectarian civil war.

Syria's Armenian population is mainly centered in Aleppo and Damascus. About 80 000 Armenians resided in the country before the start of the war.