Roundup: Int'l calls to protect Syria's archeological heritage on upswing

DAMASCUS, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- With the Syrian government and armed opposition trading accusations and holding the other responsible for imperiling the country's archeological sites during the 18-month unrest, the international cry for protecting the monuments is on the upswing.

During the ongoing fierce clashes between the Syrian army and rebels in the northern province of Aleppo, a fire gutted an ancient souk that has been declared a World Heritage site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization ( UNESCO), causing an international outcry.

UNESCO and the Cairo Archeological Faculty convened a two-day emergency meeting in Cairo on Sunday, with the target "to salvage the Syrian heritage from destruction and damage" and to send a prudent call on all parties to keep their hands off the monuments.

The organizers said they have put a special emphasis on Aleppo because of its archeological significance, calling to take urgent measures to protect its archeological sites from bombing, looting and destruction.

Rami Martini, an architect specialized in renovating archeological sites in Aleppo, has reportedly said that the recent fire in three old markets in Aleppo has torched more than 500 shops, and blamed armed opposition groups for the blaze.

He said the area is under the full control of armed groups since more than 10 days ago, adding that the fire was not an accident but an arson.

Some residents in Aleppo said armed groups touched off the fire to punish pro-government merchants.

The three markets, the Istanbul souk, al-Dareb souk and al- Niswan souk, was built more than 1,000 years ago and some of them date back to the Ottoman era.

Reports said the three markets have been totally burned, sending alarming signals that the country's archeological sites are in danger.

Besides, a citadel dating back to the 13th century in Aleppo was under fire and got slightly damaged in August.

According to UNESCO, five of Syria's six World Heritage sites, including the ancient desert city of Palmyra, the Crac des Chevaliers crusader fortress, and parts of old Damascus, have been affected by the ongoing armed conflict.

In July, the Directorate General of Antiquities and Museums in Syria stressed that several museums and archaeological cities in the country were pillaged of treasures or partially damaged.

Syrian newspapers reported that a lot of artifacts have been found by customs officers while they were on routes outside the country.

The Directorate General of Antiquities and Museums also announced a list of Syrian artifacts that were stolen during the past year from museums and excavation sites. It pointed out that many of the sites have been vandalized or are subject to theft and robbery.

The Syrian government has been holding what it called "armed terrorist groups" responsibility for the damage to archeological sites. Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem said in a speech to the UN General Assembly on Monday that those groups are ruining the country's heritage.

However, opposition activists claimed that the Syrian army has shelled a number of archeological sites in Syria, including al- Madhiq Castle in the central city of Hama.

The Hama Museum was also looted, they claimed, adding that some old weapons and an ancient statue have disappeared.

The archeological Ebla city in the northern province of Idlib, which has been the focus of military operations and clashes between government forces and dissidents over the past months, was also looted. Enditem