IS seizes control of historic Syrian city

Damascus, May 21

Islamic State militants overran the famed archaeological site at Palmyra early today, just hours after seizing the central Syrian town, activists and officials said, raising concerns the extremists might destroy some of the priceless ruins as they have done in neighboring Iraq.

The Unesco on Thursday called for an immediate end to hostilities in Syria's ancient city and urged all to respect international obligations to protect cultural heritage during conflict, by avoiding direct targeting.

The Islamic State’s capture of the town of Palmyra late yesterday was a stunning triumph for the militant group, only days after it captured the strategic city of Ramadi in Iraq's largest Sunni province.

As IS took Palmyra, government forces collapsed in the face of the attacks and Syrian soldiers were seen fleeing the area, activists said. In Damascus, state TV acknowledged that pro-government forces had withdrawn from the town.

Rami Abdurrahman of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the extremists overrun the archaeological site, just to the southwest of the town itself, shortly after midnight yesterday.

An activist in Homs who goes by the name of Bebars al-Talawy also confirmed that IS now controls the ruins at Palmyra. Both activists said that the militants had not damaged the site so far.

The ruins at Palmyra are one of the world's most renowned historic sites and there were fears the extremists would destroy them as they did major archaeological sites in Iraq.

The UNESCO world heritage site is famous for its 2,000-year-old towering Roman-era colonnades and other ruins and priceless artifacts. Before the war, thousands of tourists a year visited the remote desert outpost, a cherished landmark referred to by Syrians as the "Bride of the Desert." In Damascus, Maamoun Abdul-Karim, the head of the Antiquities and Museum Department, said Palmyra's town museum had suffered "minor damages" during the IS onslaught.

“The city is now totally controlled by gunmen and its destiny is dark and dim," warned Abdul-Karim. "We are in a state of anticipation and fear" about what will happen to "the archaeological site and the remaining artifacts in the museum."

Before the fall, hundreds of "the most precious and beautiful" pieces from Palmyra were taken to safe houses in Damascus, he added. — Agencies

"I am deeply concerned by the situation at the site of Palmyra. The fight is putting at risk one of the most significant sites in the Middle-East, and its civilian population. I call on the international community to do everything in its power to protect the affected civilian population and safeguard the unique cultural heritage of Palmyra

Irina Bokova, Unesco Director-General