Syria's ancient Palmyra on brink of destruction
|The ruins of ancient Palmyra, Syria [Credit: Wiki Commons]|
The ruins of the city, which is one of UNESCO’s World Heritage sites, date back thousands of years. “Bombs and rockets come in all directions,” eyewitnesses said.
Assad forces have struck the Roman Temple of Bel – built in 43 A.C. – and damaged its northern wall, eyewitnesses said, adding portions and stones of the wall have been destroyed.
The Fakhreddine II citadel, Al-Basateen and the Monumental Arch, under which Romans’ Queen Zenobia’s celebrations took place, have also suffered their fair share of destruction.
According to the eyewitnesses, priceless sculptures and statues had been stolen from the ancient city’s museum.
Meanwhile, Palmyra, swarming with tanks, no longer hosts tourists. Its hotels, once full of curious visitors, are now empty only to harbor soldiers on their roofs.
In early March, one of the oldest in the worlds was destroyed by regime forces in the Damascus district of Jobar.
Syria’s civil war has caused damage to six World Heritage sites in the country with shelling and open fire between opposition fighters and the regime forces. Numerous historic buildings, archaeological sites and residential areas are being left in ruins.
On 30 March 2012, UNESCO called for the protection of Syria’s cultural heritage sites and expressed “grave concern about possible damage to precious sites.”
Source: Al Arabiya [March 16, 2013]
Labels ArchaeoHeritage, Archaeology, Breakingnews, Greater Middle East, Heritage, More Stuff, Near East, Syria