The director of Syrian antiquities tells Channel 4 News Russia and the US should work together to save Palmyra, where Islamic State extremists have destroyed a 2,000-year-old Roman arch.
(Above: Maamoun Abdulkarim, director of Syria’s antiquities department, speaks to Lindsey Hilsum)
Syria’s antiquities chief Maamoun Abdulkarim told Lindsey Hilsum: “What I have in my heart is the moment of the liberation of the Palmyra. We should be in coordination: opposition, Russians, US, coalition, Syrian official army, or finally we will lose Palmyra if Palmyra stay under control of these terrorists.
“The loss of will be the big mistake. We will be condemned by future generations. In this moment we are thinking how we can protect Palmyra. If not, we will lose one of the most important civilisations in the world.”
The Arch of Triumph is believed to have been destroyed. Islamic State had already razed two temples at the Unesco world heritage site, which it has controlled since capturing Palmyra from Syrian government forces in May. It says the buildings are sacrilegious.
The arch was significant because it was considered to be the entrance to Palmyra and was one of its most beautiful icons and landmarks.
Palmyra contains the monumental ruins of a great city that was one of the most important cultural centres of the ancient world.
The temples of Baalshamin and Bel have been destroyed, along with some ancient mausoleums.
In August, 82-year-old Syrian antiquities scholar Khaled Asaad was murdered by Islamic State in Palmyra. The previous month, Islamic State posted images appearing to show statues from Palmyra being smashed up.
(Below: archive footage of the Arch of Triumph)