Russia, Syria in talks to restore ancient city of Palmyra

Russian specialists are negotiating with Syria’s new authorities on the restoration of the ancient city of Palmyra, according to Andrey Polyakov, director of the Institute of the History of Material Culture (IHMC) of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

Polyakov said that following a UNESCO assessment, a decision was made to physically reconstruct the city’s triumphal arch, Caliber.Az reports, citing TASS.

“However, changes in the political situation led to a temporary halt in the project. Negotiations are ongoing, with no timeline for agreements yet set,” he noted.

Palmyra, a key centre of the ancient world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has been repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt, reaching its peak in the 3rd century AD.

A significant portion of Palmyra’s monuments was damaged in 2015 when the city was captured by Islamic State militants. Syrian forces subsequently restored control over the territory.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov