Syrian refugees who say they were assaulted in Forest Lawn worry about kids' safety

Two Syrian refugee fathers say they're scared for their kids in Calgary after both men say they were assaulted over the weekend in southeast Calgary.

Police don't believe the incidents to be racially motivated, but the alleged assaults have made the newcomers uneasy.

Speaking through a translator, Wesam Alomare says he's nervous about thesafety of his children after he was attacked Saturday.

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Alomare says he was outside hishousing complex in Forest LawnonSaturday afternoon, where 28 newly arrived Syrian families live.

He says two men approached, yelling in English, then one hit him in the face with an open hand.

"They said so much, but the only word I understood is the f-word," he said.

Alomare says a neighbour scared the attackers off.

About half an hour later andfour blocks away, another Syrian man, Basel Al Dnifat, says he hadjust left his English class at theCalgary Immigrant Educational Societyon 17th Avenue and39thStreet S.E.when two men approached him.

He also says a man hithim across the headwith an open hand.Al Dnifat says his English teacher helped him call police.

Calgary police confirm they have a report on the incidents and are investigating.At this point the attacks are not being handled ashate crimes.

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Al Dnifat says he's grateful hiskids were not targeted.

"I can deal with this, but I don't know what my kids would do," Al Dnifat said.

The attackers were in their early30s and werelight-skinned, possibly Asian, white or aboriginal, said Alomare.

One of them had a deep scar on the left side of his neck.

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