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The Syrian government has announced that it will build a replica of the Hagia Sophia, in opposition to the Turkish regime’s conversion of the building from a museum into a mosque, Greek City Times reported, citing Lebanon’s Al-Modon media.

A leader of the pro-Syrian government National Defense Forces militia, Nabeul Al-Abdullah, obtained the approval of Bishop Nicola Baalbaki, the Metropolitan of Hama and its dependencies to build a new church in the city of Suqaylabiyah in Hama province.

More than 17,000 residents of Suqaylabiyah are overwhelmingly Greek Orthodox.

Al-Modon said that the funding for the construction of the church is the first practical and indirect response from Russia to express its anger against Turkey for converting Hagia Sophia.

Russian MP Vitaly Milonov stated that “unlike Turkey, [Syria] is a country that clearly shows the possibility of peaceful and positive interfaith dialogue,” adding that “Orthodox Christians in Russia can help Syria with construction.”