The ancient sites and monuments destroyed in Syria's crisis

The Association for the Protection of Syrian Archaeology says more than 900 monuments and archaeological sites have been looted, damaged or destroyed in the country's crisis.

Referring to satellite images, the United Nations said in December that 300 sites had been plundered, damaged or destroyed.

Here is a look at some of the major Syrian historical sites or monuments destroyed.
Palmyra

Islamic State (IS) jihadists have blown up several famed tower tombs at the UNESCO-listed world heritage site, targeting the first century AD monuments as part of a campaign to destroy the site, antiquities chief Maamoun Abdulkarim told AFP.

He said that among at least seven tombs destroyed were the three best preserved and most treasured funerary towers, including the famed Tower of Elahbel.

Earlier this week, the UN training and research agency UNITAR said satellite images "confirm the destruction of the main Temple of Bel as well as a row of columns in its immediate vicinity".

The 2,000-year-old masterpiece was the second Palmyra temple destroyed by the IS in a week, following Baal Shamin.

In July, IS destroyed the statue of the Lion of Athena, which stood more than three metres high in front of Palmyra museum.

On August 18, the group murdered the 82-year-old retired head of antiquities in Palmyra, Khaled al-Assad, and hung his mutilated body in public.

IS condemns pre-Islamic religious works as idolatrous and has targeted Palmyra, northeast of Damascus, for destruction.

Palmyra, a UNESCO world heritage site since 1980, was also damaged in 2013 during fighting between rebels and government forces.
Aleppo

The historic centre of Aleppo in northern Syria is divided between rebels and loyalists.

In September 2012, a blaze swept through ancient shops in the city's souk, or marketplace, and in April 2013, the minaret of the historic Umayyad mosque collapsed during fierce fighting.

Rebels using explosives to reach government positions in the old city destroyed the iconic Carlton Hotel on May 8, 2014.

PHOTO: The minaret once atop Aleppo's 8th century Umayyad mosque was reduced to rubble in April. (AFP: Dimitar Dilkofff)

In July 2015, a blast destroyed part of the ramparts that surround the citadel, a leading example of mediaeval Islamic military architecture.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said rebels had dug a tunnel under the wall, and regime forces blew it up to protect their positions.
Crac des Chevaliers

The heavily fortified Crusader fortress near Homs in central Syria known as the Crac des Chevaliers and used as a rebel base has been damaged by army bombardment.

PHOTO: The Crac des Chevaliers fortress near Homs in central Syria. (Flickr)

Maaret al-Numan

On June 20, 2015, the best-known mosaic museum in Syria was seriously damaged by barrel bombs dropped by regime aircraft, APSA said.

PHOTO: The best-known mosaic museum in Syria was damaged by barrel bombs, according to APSA. (Flickr)

Raqa

In IS's northern Syria bastion, much of the Sufi Muslim Uwais al-Qarani Mosque and a shrine to Ammar bin Yasir, a companion of the Muslim Prophet Mohammed, has been destroyed, with non-governmental organisations blaming the jihadists.

PHOTO: An ancient Assyrian statue of a winged bull with a human face. (AFP: Hubert Debbasch)

In the north-eastern region of Hasakeh, IS has also destroyed Assyrian statues dating from the first century, APSA said.

Other notable sites damaged or looted include Dura-Europos, Apamea, Ebla, Mari, Ajaja and Hamam Turkoman.

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