DAMASCUS: Syria’s culture ministry on Saturday condemned overnight US strikes that local media said damaged a historic site in Deir Ezzor province in the country’s east.
The United States launched the air strikes against Iran-backed groups in Iraq and Syria in retaliation for a recent drone attack on an American base in Jordan that killed three US soldiers.
Syria’s culture ministry condemned “in the strongest terms the barbaric US bombardment of the Al-Rahba fortress” in eastern Syria’s Mayadeen area.
In a statement on social media, it said the citadel, located along the Euphrates River, dates to the ninth century, without elaborating on the damage the site sustained.
The “blatant” attack violated “all international norms and charters that call for the protection and respect for cultural property,” the ministry added.
Pro-government daily Al-Watan reported antiquities chief Nazir Awad as saying the bombardment late Friday caused cracks and fissures in the fortress walls.
The full extent of the damage had not yet been assessed, Al-Watan cited Awad as saying.
Damascus said earlier Saturday that the overnight strikes killed “a number of civilians and soldiers, wounded others and caused significant damage to public and private property.”
With tensions in the Middle East already running high over the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, Damascus, Baghdad and Tehran on Saturday accused Washington of undermining the stability of the region.
Syria culture ministry slams US strikes near historic site
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Syria culture ministry slams US strikes near historic site
- Syria’s culture ministry condemned “in the strongest terms the barbaric US bombardment of the Al-Rahba fortress”
- The citadel, located along the Euphrates River, dates to the ninth century
Syrian government foils Daesh plot to attack churches and New Year celebrations
- Bomber kills soldier in Aleppo, detonates explosives injuring 2 others
ALEPPO, DAMASCUS: The Syrian Interior Ministry announced on Thursday that it had thwarted a Daesh plot to carry out suicide attacks targeting New Year celebrations and churches, particularly in Aleppo.
The ministry said in a statement that, as part of ongoing counterterrorism efforts and careful monitoring of Daesh cells in cooperation with partner agencies, it had received intelligence indicating plans for suicide attacks targeting New Year celebrations in several provinces, particularly Aleppo, with a focus on churches and civilian gathering areas.
The ministry added that it took preemptive measures, including reinforcing security around churches, deploying mobile and fixed patrols, and setting up checkpoints across the city.
During operations at a checkpoint in Aleppo’s Bab Al-Faraj district, security forces intercepted a suspected Daesh member who opened fire. One internal security soldier was killed, and the attacker detonated explosives, injuring two others.
Daesh recently increased its attacks in Syria, and was blamed for an attack last month in Palmyra that killed three Americans.
On Dec. 13, two US soldiers and an American civilian were killed in an attack Washington blamed on a lone Daesh gunman in Palmyra.
In retaliation, American forces struck scores of Daesh targets in Syria.
Syrian authorities have also carried out several operations against Daesh since then, saying on Dec. 25 they had killed a senior leader of the group.
