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Isis seizes Palmyra: Fears for ancient Unesco World Heritage Site as militants capture part of Syrian city Isis seizes Palmyra: Fears for ancient Unesco World Heritage Site as militants capture of Syrian city
(about 5 hours later)
Isis militants have seized parts of the ancient town of Palmyra in central Syria after fighting with government troops, renewing fears the group would destroy the priceless archaeological site if it reaches the ruins. Isis seized almost full control of the ancient Syrian town of Palmyra after government defence lines collapsed, although it was unclear how close to the famed archaeological site the extremists had advanced.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the militants gained control of as much as a third of the town in heavy fighting during the day. Palmyra is home to a Unesco World Heritage Site and is famous for its 2,000-year-old Roman colonnades. Syrian state television acknowledged that pro-government forces had withdrawn from the town. Its fall represents a stunning defeat for President Bashar Assad’s forces, just a few days after Isis militants launched their offensive.
The majority of the ruins are located in Palmyra’s south, and the militants entered from the north after seizing the state security building from government forces. But their presence has sparked concerns they would destroy the ruins – as they have done with major archaeological sites in neighbouring Iraq. It is an enormous loss to the government, not only because of its cultural significance, but because it would open the way for Isis to advance to key government-held areas, including Damascus and Homs.
Syria’s antiquities chief said that hundreds of statues have been moved from the city to safe locations. The ruins at Palmyra, a Unesco world heritage site just to the south-west of the town, are one of the region’s most renowned historic sites and there are fears the extremists will destroy them as they have done after taking major archaeological sites in Iraq.
“The fear is for the museum and the large monuments that cannot be moved,” Maamoun Abdulkarim said. “This is the entire world’s battle.” Palmyra is famous for its 2,000-year-old towering Roman-era colonnades and before the war, thousands of tourists a year visited the remote desert outpost, also known as the “Bride of the Desert”.
Following setbacks in both Syria and Iraq, Isis fighters appear to have gained a second wind in recent days, capturing Ramadi, the capital of Iraq’s largest Sunni province, and advancing in central Syria to the outskirts of Palmyra. “I am terrified,” said Maamoun Abdulkarim, Syria’s director-general of antiquities and museums. “This is a PR battle for Daesh [Isis] and they will insist on scoring a victory against civilisation by destroying” the ancient ruins .
Residents of Ramadi who fled their homes wait to cross Bzeibez bridge, on the southwestern frontier of Baghdad (Getty) Iraqi forces said they had fought off an overnight attack by Isis near Ramadi, as thousands of displaced people fleeing from the city and the violence in the western Anbar province poured into Baghdad. The central government waived restrictions and granted them conditional entry, a provincial official said. “The fear is for the museum and the large monuments that cannot be moved. This is the entire world’s battle,” Mr Adbulkarim added.
Residents still left in Ramadi told AP over the phone that Isis were urging them over loudspeakers not to be afraid and to stay in the city. However, they were not preventing those wanting to leave the city to go, the residents said. Residents of Ramadi who fled their homes wait to cross Bzeibez bridge, on the southwestern frontier of Baghdad (Getty) Homs governor Talal Barazzi told The Associated Press earlier that Isis militants had infiltrated overnight into the northern part of Palmyra.
Government forces backed by Shia militias have been building up at a base near Ramadi in preparation to retake the city. Following setbacks in both Syria and Iraq, Isis fighters appear to have gained a second wind in recent days, capturing Ramadi, the capital of Iraq’s largest Sunni province.
AP; Reuters Iraqi forces said they had fought off an overnight attack by Isis near Ramadi, as thousands of displaced people poured into Baghdad.
AP