Syria. Palmyra

 "Damascus, 21 May 2015. The Syrian army withdrew from one of the oldest cities on the planet. He came under the control of militants so-called "Islamic State", informs television channel "MIR 24".The military left to avoid fighting in the historic city-museum. The retreat came after the evacuation of local residents. Palmyra recognized by UNESCO as a world heritage site.There are almost intact preserved ancient streets with colonnades and ancient temples. 

 From a military point of view of Palmyra is of no strategic value of the ruins in the desert 250 kilometers from Damascus. Therefore, in Syria the biggest fear that Islamists captured the city only to destroy it ... 

  I have nothing to add to the last roundup. It remains only to recall how Palmyra we saw in 2009, when there was peace and tranquility . 

 We spent the night in sleeping bags next to the ruins, greeted the dawn, and then wandered among the ruins, eating dates and drinking tea with the locals. Then he walked through the contemporary New Palmyra - sweet town with friendly and welcoming residents. All are now in the past ... 

 "Terrorist group" Islamic State "has already captured more than half of Syria. The militants took control of the ancient city of Palmyra. According to human rights, there are already hundreds of people could have died. Thus, the agency "Interfax" reported the execution of 20 hostages. But it is clear that in Palmyra are thousands of people. The humanitarian situation is catastrophic. Electricity and water supplies are interrupted, do not operate the hospital. " 

 The city is located at the crossroads of caravan routes and in ancient times was fabulously rich. Experts called the capture of Palmyra "collapse of civilization." Terrorists also consider historical values ​​false idols to be destroyed. 

 Palmyra - one of the richest cities of late antiquity, located in the Syrian desert between Damascus and the Euphrates. Most of the city's cultural values ​​belongs to the I century BC, when Syria was located on the territory of the Roman Empire. " 

  I am writing a post and think, right now, at this moment, perhaps these thugs smashing hammers ancient columns, maybe this one is the fragment of the column, which is pictured. Can be customized a bulldozer to demolish all like to hell as soon as possible. And nothing can be done .. 

 "Palmyra is in the middle of the desert, the ruins left over from the ancient temples and theaters are very well preserved.Walking the streets, you can imagine the city as he is seen contemporaries of Jesus Christ. Syrian museum workers have tried something out to take out, when the fighting approached the city, but what is saved, - a drop in the sea. " 

  Detail can imagine what could happen with the antiquities of Palmyra. Entries taken in the Iraqi city of Mosul impossible to watch without shuddering. The footage shows how the militants, replacing guns at sledgehammers, mercilessly destroy the millennial bas-reliefs of the Sumerian era, explaining their actions in combating idols.It is terrible to imagine that the same fate awaits and Palmyra. The Syrian army here can not cope alone. And if the international community does not find a way to intervene, then soon, possibly from Palmyra monuments remain only pictures.