Assad Says Historic Sites in Palmyra Unaffected During Liberation

Syrian President Bashar Assad has told Russian lawmakers that the liberation of Palmyra from Daesh militants did not affect any historic sites in the ancient city, member of the Federation Council Committee on Defense and Security Dmitry Sablin said Wednesday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — On March 27, the Syrian army, backed by militias and Russian Aerospace Forces, fully liberated Palmyra, which was under control of Daesh terrorist group, outlawed in Russia, since May 2015.

"…during the liberation of Palmyra, no historical site was destroyed," Sablin told reporters citing Assad.

Earlier this month, the Russian delegation visited Syria to discuss prospects of bilateral cooperation, the humanitarian aid delivery and other issues. During the trip, the delegation members met with president Assad.

"He [Assad] stated that a substantial and even major role in the liberation of Palmyra belongs to the Russian helicopter pilots, who attacked the terrorists at low altitudes, risking their lives," Sablin said.

Palmyra, located in Syria’s Homs Governorate, was first documented in the early second millennium BC. It is a UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) World Heritage Site.

Russian specialists are currently assisting Syrian experts in clearing Palmyra of bombs and land mines planted all over the city by Daesh militants before their retreat.