Extraordinary drone footage reveals scale of devastation at Palmyra after it was ransacked by ISIS but experts claim they can restore historic site within five years
- Government forces worked with Russian military to free the ancient archaeological site of Palmyra from ISIS
- There were huge concerns that the 4,000 year old historic monuments in the city's site would have been demolished
- However, new drone footage reveals only the surprising amount of the temple site which appears to remain intact
- See more news from Syria at www.dailymail.co.uk/syria
Extraordinary
new drone footage has revealed the extent of the devastation wrecked by
the jihadi group ISIS after they captured Palmyra last summer.
ISIS
destroyed a number of key archaeological features on the site,
including the Temple of Baal, leaving archaeologists with a difficult
task of re-constructing the ancient landmarks.
Despite
the damage, Syria's antiquities chief believes the ancient site of
Palmyra could be fully restored to its former glory in five years after
Syrian government forces re-captured the ISIS-held site.
'We
were expecting the worst. But the landscape, in general, is in good
shape. 'We could have completely lost Palmyra. The joy I feel is
indescribable.'' Maamoun Abdulkarim told AFP.
'If we have UNESCO's approval, we will need five years to restore the structures damaged or destroyed by IS,' he said.
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During its rule of Palmyra, IS killed
scores of people and destroyed invaluable artifacts dating back more
than 1,800 years, along with a famed Roman triumphal archway
IS had used Palmyra's ancient theatre
as a venue for public executions and also murdered the city's
82-year-old former antiquities chief
Russian forces, which intervened in
support of longtime ally Assad last September, were heavily involved in
the Palmyra offensive despite a major drawdown last week
The damage within the hugely
significant historical landscape was predicted to be massive following
brutal combat exchanges between the extremist group and the regime
Ruins of the Monumental Arch destroyed by ISIS militants in Palmyra, a UNESCO world heritage site
Syrian's government forces celebrated ousting ISIS from Palmyra by enjoying a kick-about amongst the ancient city's 4,000 year-old ruins.
The
regime troops relaxed with a quick game of football after finally
ridding the UNESCO World Heritage site of the extremist faction
following three weeks of fighting.
Still
armed with rifles and dressed in combat gear, the soldiers let loose in
an area which until only yesterday had been a stronghold for the
Islamic State.
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They
were joined by pro-government militiamen and Russian fighters who
strolled among the ruins in awe after seizing the city on Sunday.
ISIS
terror chiefs sparked a global outcry when they started destroying
Palmyra's treasured monuments, which they consider idolatrous, after
taking the city in May 2015.
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