DGAM assesses scale of damage in Salah Ed-din citadel

On February 10th, 2016, a team of the DGAM office in Lattakia visited Salah Ed-din citadel [Qalaat Salah Ed-din] in Lattakia countryside to assess the scale of damage wrought by the clashes occurred there over the past months.

Fire debris was found in the rooms of the Ayyoub block and in the reception center, which was looted, according to the Directorate-General of the Antiquities and Museums.

There were also wild plants all over the citadel, while the structure of the citadel stayed intact.

The photo in this article shows the damage in the citadel’s reception center. Further photos of the damages are available on the DGAM website.

During the first week of this month, Culture Minister Isam Khalil accompanied by the Director General of the DGAM visited the citadel in Lattakia province.

They were briefed on the current situation of the historic citadel that had sustained repeated attacks by terrorist groups before the Syrian army restored stability and peace to it.

Minister of Culture asked for preparing a comprehensive study to rehabilitate the citadel in order to receive visitors within two months.

In 2006, Salah Ed-din citadel was listed by the UNESCO as a world heritage site. But it was placed on the UNESCO’s World Heritage in danger list in 2013.

http://syriatimes.sy/index.php/archaeology/22072-culture-minister-visits-historic-citadels-in-homs-and-lattakia

BasmaQaddour