B92 reporter in Palmyra: What's left after jihadis?

B92 reporter in Palmyra: What's left after jihadis?

Instead of tourists, Russian mine clearing teams are now in Palmyra, Godfroa, who reached the town in a Russian military helicopter that departed from Latakia, said in her report.

Russian Defense Ministry Spokesman Gen. Maj. Igor Konashenkov traveled on the same flight, and said that Palmyra has "historic significance, above all."

"There was a photograph of the famous Arch of Triumph in my history textbooks, which the terrorists unfortunately destroyed. From the military point of view Palmyra is also important because of its location. When the Syrian Army, together with the volunteers, liberated the city and established control over the valley, they broke up Islamic State terrorist into two, even three parts, and cut off their supply of arms and men," the general said.

The terrorist are now gone. Russian deminers work in 30-degree Celsius weather, and no shade anywhere, destroying the devices they find in controlled explosions. B92's reporter heard seven such blasts during one hour. Among the world cultural heritage destroyed by Islamic State are the temples of Bel and Baalshamin, the Arch of Triumph, and the Lion of Al-lat. The terrorist filmed these acts, to show the world their barbarism.

"The unique cultural heritage of Palmyra demands detailed and careful restoration. It will take more than three years to completely restore the Temple of Bel and the Temple of Baalshamin," said Ahmed Dib, director of the Syrian National Museum Authority.

But restoration and precise damage assessment will have to wait until the mine clearing teams have done their job, which should take a month.

Russian Army Lt. Col. Andrei Makarenko says that mines are found mainly at these sites, while improvised explosive devices are scattered in the town and on all access roads. Palmyra is still without water and electricity, with many residents yet to return. While workers are trying to repair transmission lines, Russian deminers are working to remove booby traps from homes. Major Ivanov showed one such device and explained:

"These two plates trigger the explosion on contact. We're finding a great number of such explosive devices attached to light switches."

Local authorities promise that power and water supply will be restored soon, and find it difficult to give an exact estimate of how many residents had left.

The Homs Province governor, Talal al-Barazi, says that about 3,000 people left, and that about ten percent of those are believed to now be abroad. Others are in Syria and the governor expects they will return to their homes.

Russia insists that Palmyra was liberated by the Syrian Army and volunteer formations fighting against Islamic State and Al-Nusra, and that Russia's role was to launch airstrikes to destroy terrorist positions on the hills surrounding the town.

Aleksandra Godfroa's report from Palmyra (in Serbian):