Call for Global Efforts to Save Syria's Historical Heritage

The United Nations has called for a comprehensive global effort to save Syria's historical heritage. A report prepared by several UN reporters emphasizes that the Syrian war has had devastating effects on Syria's historical heritage, with many artifacts destroyed. The report states that the remaining heritage of humanity in Syria is at serious risk. French and Reuters news agencies published the UN report on December 23, highlighting the significant damage to the ancient sites in the country. The report mentions at least '300 heritage sites' in Syria that have been destroyed or severely damaged due to the ongoing conflict. UN reporters referenced satellite images showing that 24 locations, which were among the important historical sites in Syria, have been completely destroyed. Six sites, previously registered by UNESCO as World Cultural Heritage in Syria, have also suffered serious damage. Additionally, 186 other cultural sites have been harmed, and nearly 80 more historical sites are at risk. The UN report highlights the cultural heritage of humanity that has been severely affected, including the historic Aleppo Citadel and the famous desert city of Palmyra. It also mentions the destruction or serious damage to the following sites: the historic city of Raqqa, the ancient part of Palmyra, and the 900-year-old fortress of Qardaha. The Islamic State group has made Raqqa its administrative center. According to satellite images cited by UN reporters, even the ancient tombs in the desert of Palmyra have been looted, and temples from the ancient Eastern Roman period in northern Syria have been damaged. The report's authors emphasize that all parties involved in the Syrian war are complicit in this cultural crime. They noted that all actors involved in the Syrian war use historical sites as military bases, making these locations legitimate targets for their attacks. The forces of the so-called Islamic State or ISIS have destroyed many religious and historical artifacts in both Syria and Iraq. The Islamic State considers especially religious artifacts, regardless of their thousands or hundreds of years of history, as 'idolatry' and destroys them. UN reporters stated in their report that Syria's historical heritage belongs to all humanity and dates back to the dawn of human civilization, and therefore, the entire world must strive to save these artifacts. It is worth noting that American experts recently emphasized in a report about the extensive destruction and damage to ancient artifacts in Syria that a significant part of the history of all humanity is at risk of destruction. The report highlighted that Aleppo is considered one of the oldest cities in the world, but the Great Mosque of Aleppo has been severely damaged, and the ancient market of Souq al-Madina has turned into a pile of ruins. Various historical periods, including Hittite, Roman, Byzantine, and Ayyubid civilizations, have left their marks on the architecture of Aleppo, but most of these artifacts have either been destroyed or severely damaged. According to the American experts' report, mosques from the Mamluk period and palaces from the Ottoman Empire in Aleppo have been severely damaged. The American experts wrote that the army of Bashar al-Assad has taken control of the desert city of Palmyra, which has a history of 2,000 years, and has used its columns as a military base, as well as the historic castles of al-Hosn and Salah al-Din from the Crusader era as military headquarters in current wars. The Syrian war began in early 2011 and has entered its fourth year. This war has caused the most damage to Syria, with more than ten million of the 23 million Syrian population either displaced or moved within the country. The Syrian Human Rights Organization states that the death toll has reached nearly 200,000. Hundreds of thousands more are injured or missing. Despite the severe killings in Syria and the lack of any prospect for its end, few people in the world pay attention to the fate of historical artifacts in Syria and the great tragedy that has befallen the culture and history of the world.