80% of Daraa archaeological sites systematically damaged by terrorists

Head of Antiquities Directorate in the southern Daraa province has asserted that 80% of archaeological sites  in the province has been systematically damaged and looted during the years of war on Syria.

Speaking to the Syrian Arab News agency (SANA), Dr. Mohammad al-Nasrallah made it clear that archaeological hills in al-Ash’ari, Em Horan, Ashtara, al-Jabeyeh and Shehab areas were damaged.

“Over the past years, the directorate has got information and photos leaked by citizens, who are aware of the historical importance of the sites,” he added, indicating that all required measures for checking the archaeological sites in areas- recaptured by Syrian army- are completed.

Al-Nasrallah, in addition, stressed that the directorate addressed the Jordanian side via Ministry of Foreign Affairs to control border and to prevent  smuggling of Syrian antiquities  to any other county through Jordan.

“There is a UN resolution for the protection of Syrian antiquities and the international police [INTERPOL] has been authorized to implement the resolution,” he said.

It is worth noting that 128 archeological sites are registered on national heritage list, while 250 archaeological sites are not registered yet.

Daraa Directorate of Antiquities works on registering buildings of railway on this list in order to be rehabilitated later. 

Basma Qaddour