The first units of Russian military experts have arrived in Syria to remove explosive devices left behind by the "Islamic State" ("IS") group in Palmyra. The de-mining of archeological sites might take several months.
Image: Reuters/Sana
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The military teams are equipped with "the most advanced de-mining and protective gear," the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement.
Moscow deployed first of the specialized crews to its Syrian Hemeimeem base on Thursday, to prepare for mine clearing in the recently liberated Palmyra.
According to a "well-informed source" cited by the Russian Interfax agency, the mission is set to start next week with around 90 Russian troops taking part.
The de-mining crew would also include a specialized canine unit with dogs trained to seek out mines, the military said.
Robots protecting history
Ahead of the Thursday deployment, the head of the Russian corps of engineers, Yuri Stavitzki, said that the historical part of Palmyra was "quite seriously" protected with buried explosives.
"The top priority is clearing and de-mining of Palmyra's historical section. In addition, we are ready to consider providing training to Syrian de-miners," Stavitzki said.
The military would use also use a Russian robot Uran-6 for for its mission in Palmyra, according to the Ministry of Defense.
At the same time, a retired army specialist told Interfax that the advanced robot is not likely to be used near archaeological sites, due to risk of detonation.
"Our army has a wide specter of de-mining tools – from mechanical ones to robots. However, it would be mostly manual work in Palmyra," retired general Nikolai Serdtzev said. "It will be hard work, too, with the heat and the people wearing special protective gear."
What's left to salvage in Palmyra?
Many of Palmyra's ruins appear to be in decent shape. Some archeologists hope that following its liberation the ancient city in the middle of the Syrian desert can be salvaged after all.
Image: Getty Images/AFP
Palmyra: ruins left in ruins
Palmyra's giant pillars used to be recognized around the world. This long boulevard of antiquity was feared to have been pulverized in deliberate explosions conducted by the so-called "Islamic State" (IS). But recent images show that much of the Great Colonade survived IS and its reign of terror.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/M. Al Mounes
Like pieces of a puzzle
Syria's antiquities director Maamoun Abdulkarim intends to rebuild Palmyra to the state of its former glory. Ancient sites such as the Temple of Baal Shamin and the Temple of Bel will have to be pieced together like a puzzle after IS had demolished them in 2015. Still, Abdulkarim hopes that with the UN's help, Palmyra will be restored in five years' time.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/M. Al Mounes
Mass executions where plays once premiered
The fact that Palmyra's ancient amphitheater, built around 200 A.D., appears to have survived the brute force of IS' destruction campaign might be among the lesser surprises here. It was here that jihadists held mass executions last year, while also using the stage as their set for their violent propaganda videos. A memorial for these recent events will likely be part of the restoration efforts.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/M. Al Mounes
A bird's eye perspective
Aerial photographs reveal that other parts of the ancient city barely managed to withstand IS' deliberate destruction. The image on the right, taken on March 26, 2016, shows the extent of the damage after IS had blown up the Temple of Bel. On the left, the temple is seen intact before the jihadists' advance toward the UNESCO World Heritage site in May 2015.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/Unosat
Destruction beyond the ancient city
Palmyra's National Museum also suffered heavy losses under IS rule. Its treasures were looted, some were damaged, and others burned. The building itself lost parts of its roof but appears to have kept its structural integrity.
Image: picture-alliance/Sputnik/M. Voskresenskiy
Liberation after almost a year of tyranny
Locals knew they had been liberated when the fortress of Qal'at Ibn Ma'n high on top of a hill in Palmyra was finally recaptured by government forces. The structure is thought to date back only to the 13th to 16th centuries, but prior to the IS occupation, it had always been part of Palmyra's tourist attraction route despite pertaining to more recent history.
Image: Getty Images/AFP
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IS fighting 'idolatry'
The ancient Syrian city was occupied by the IS terror group for over ten months, with the extremist group using "idolatry" as a pretext to destroy old temples and other historical monuments.
Less than a week ago, troops loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad drove the jihadists out of Palmyra with support from the Russian air force.
However, experts believe that it would take months to remove mines and explosive charges left behind by the terror group.
