• 22 Jan, 2026

Roman and Byzantine burial sites dating back more than 2,000 years were discovered in the northern and southern neighborhoods during the removal of debris from aerial and artillery bombardment The city had been subjected to a violent bombing campaign in 2019, which ended with the displacement of its residents and the destruction of most of its buildings, including the well-known archaeological museum, which was completely looted by the former regime’s forces

Near the city lie archaeological villages such as Shanshrah and Sergilla, ancient Roman cities that were popular tourist destinations before the outbreak of the revolution However, in recent years these sites were turned into military positions and were subjected to excavation and damage to their archaeological infrastructure They also became wide battlefields that led to the destruction of parts of them

Ahmad Anan, an official at the Idlib Directorate of Antiquities, said in an exclusive interview with Al Jazeera Net that Syria possesses a civilizational heritage stretching back thousands of years and was once one of the world’s major centers of civilization But this heritage did not escape violations, whether by the regime’s forces and allied militias or as a result of chaos in some areas

Anan explained that many archaeological sites were subjected to vandalism and looting, in addition to random excavations, the use of archaeological stones in construction, and the leveling of sites for agricultural purposes Despite the difficult conditions, the Idlib Directorate of Antiquities continued its efforts to protect heritage by documenting sites, assessing damage, and coordinating with local authorities to monitor violations within protected archaeological zones

He also noted that a number of citizens were detained and made to sign pledges after encroaching on archaeological sites, stressing that the work faces major challenges, most notably the shortage of staff and transportation after most former employees were dismissed by the regime