New footage shows war-wrecked Maarat Al-Numan Museum

Footage filmed on Thursday shows the extent of the damage inflicted on the Mosaics Museum of the Syrian town of Maarat al-Numan in Idlib province, also known as Khan Murad Basha, after it was recaptured by the Syrian Arab Army (SAA).

READ ALSO: Syrian Army keeps rolling in Idlib as new town captured south of Saraqib 

According to the director of antiquities and museums of Idlib, Ghazi Alloulo, the outer facade of the museum sustained great damage, however, most of the mosaic artifacts were saved by the protective sandbags that were placed over and around the artifacts after the start of the war.

Maarat al-Numan mosaics museum is nestled in a UNESCO-listed region of ancient villages.

It was built in the 16th century, as a khan (Caravanserai) and was later converted into a museum. Among the museum’s most prized works is a depiction of the birth and life of Hercules and a mosaic artifact depicting Romeo and Romulus.

According to reports by the UN cultural agency (UNESCO) the Maarat al-Numan Museum was targeted by heavy artillery several times during the combat in 2016 and 2018.

Credit: ruptly