Syria’s World Heritage Sites severely damaged by war
Satellite images reveal destruction and rubble at five of country’s six cultural treasures
Satellite images show that World Heritage Sites in Syria, including the Ancient City of Aleppo (shown), have been severely damaged by war. This image was taken December 6, 2011.
©2014, DigitalGlobe, NextView License | Analysis AAAS
Ancient cities, castles and ruins are among the casualties of war in Syria. Satellite images reveal that five of the country’s six World Heritage Sites have suffered damage and some structures have been completely destroyed.
One site that has seen some of the heaviest fighting is Aleppo, which is one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited cities and became a commercial hub between 3,000 and 4,000 years ago. Satellite images (above) from before and after war began in 2011 show damage to the city’s Great Mosque of Aleppo (red and blue arrows), the Suq al-Madina covered market (green arrow) and nearby structures (yellow arrows).
Of the other five Syrian cultural sites, Damascus, the nation’s capital, is the only one that has been spared from harm.
The images appear in a September 18 analysis from the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
