Syrian army’s victory over ISIS in Palmyra city ‘tipping point in history’
The Syrian army’s recapture of the Palmyra city, which means the ‘invincible country’ in the old Syrian Aramaic language, has been featured in world media outlets and has been the main topic in interviews with intellectuals and archaeologists as it is a major victory over ISIS terrorists.
The victory achieved Sunday was described by the Syrian Culture Minister Isam Khalil as ‘resurrection’ of the homeland and victory for humanity.
“The Syrians proved through this victory that the blood of Zenobia [3rd-century Queen of the Palmyrene Empire] is still flowing in their veins, and the city that challenged foreign occupation 2000 years ago and achieved victory over it, revived its process in defending civilization and creativity,” he added.
On his part, the archaeologist Ali al-Qayyem said that the new achievement is a ‘tipping point’ in the history of Syria since Palmyra city has been listed on the UNESCO’s world heritage sites.
“Palmyra is a symbol of urban and cultural development ,” he asserted, indicating that ISIS’s vandalism acts against ancient landmarks in the city of Palmyra are a crime against humanity and world heritage.
The former Director General of the DGAM Bassam Jamos referred to the efforts exerted by the Directorate General of Antiquities and Museums in cooperation with local society to protect a big quantity of artefacts in the ancient Palmyra city.
Experts from DGAM plus international partners, i.e. UNESCO, ICOMOS, and ICCROM, will visit the city to assess the damages as the city is listed on the UNESCO’s World Heritage sites, according to the DGAM website.
The DGAM’s Director General Maamoun Abdulkaim confirmed that the landmarks destroyed by ISIS in the city will be rehabilitated in a way that keep their historic identities using the remaining original stones besides other stones from Palmyra quarries.
“The DGAM rehabilitated the ancient Palmyra site 70 years ago under the supervision of the late prominent Syrian archeologists Khaled al-Asaad.
Al-Asaad was beheaded last August by ISIS terrorists in the city because he refused to tell them where valuable artefacts had been moved for safekeeping.
The city fell into ISIS terrorists’ hands in May 2015.
Recent photos of Palmyra city are available on the following link: http://www.dgam.gov.sy/?d=314&id=1955
Basma Qaddour