UN Officials Welcome the Expulsion of ISIS from Palmyra

The UN Secretary-General and the head of the UN's educational, scientific, and cultural organization have welcomed the expulsion of the group known as the "Islamic State" from Palmyra in Syria and the liberation of this ancient city. Officials in Moscow and Damascus have also reacted to the reclaiming of this area. Ban Ki-moon, the UN Secretary-General, stated during a press conference in Jordan on April 8 that "extremist terrorists have not only been killing people, but are also destroying human civilizations." He expressed that they are "pleased and encouraged" by the recapture of Palmyra. The Secretary-General expressed hope that the central Syrian government would not only continue to protect the ancient city of Palmyra but also engage in its reconstruction. The destruction in Palmyra occurred over a month last summer. The head of UNESCO also reacted to the recapture of Palmyra from the self-proclaimed Islamic Caliphate, stating that this city is a "monument of the Syrian people, encompassing a history of cultural diversity, tolerance, and openness, which made this region a cradle for human civilization." Irina Bokova mentioned that "as soon as the security conditions allow, UNESCO is ready to go to Palmyra and cooperate with officials to assess the damages and preserve this valuable treasure." The Syrian government announced on Sunday that after weeks of operations supported by Russian airstrikes, they had succeeded in completely expelling the forces of the group known as the "Islamic State" from Palmyra. Islamist militants have blown up parts of this ancient city, including its ancient temples. A group of civilians and their captives were executed by beheading or shooting in its old area. The Syrian army stated that after reclaiming the area, they are engaged in clearing it of explosives and planted bombs. The Kremlin also reacted to the recapture of Palmyra, stating that Vladimir Putin congratulated Bashar al-Assad. According to the Associated Press, the Russian President emphasized the importance of "this unique historical region for world culture" in a phone call with the Syrian President. Bashar al-Assad described the recapture of Palmyra by his allied forces as a "remarkable success." Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, the Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab Affairs, also stated that "Syria will decisively advance in its fight against terrorism, and terrorists will certainly have no place in the future of the region." The Syrian government and its allies have publicly referred to their opponents as "terrorists" over the past years. Some of the Syrian government's opponents are supported by the West, and some of them have separated from the Syrian army or its government. The Syrian civil war has been ongoing for five years following the widespread suppression of largely peaceful protests against Bashar al-Assad's regime. Over the past five years, Syria has become a gathering center for extremist groups such as the Islamic State or the al-Nusra Front. Currently, a fragile ceasefire exists between the rebels and the central government, which does not include these two groups. Negotiations are also underway to end the crisis.