Revisiting Palmyra: Ravaged By Daesh, Rising From The Ruins

PALMYRA: Half of Syria’s children including our driver Amaar’s siblings, Adnan and Sima have grown up knowing nothing but war. After ten years of continuing conflict, UN Secretary General António Guterres has noted, “it is impossible to fully fathom the extent of the devastation”, warning, “Syria has fallen off the front page.” Adding to the human suffering, was Daesh or the self-proclaimed Islamic State’s cultural terrorism. One of Syria’s most recognisable icons – the ancient, majestic shrines of Palmyra were blown up, defaced and looted. The site became a stage for public executions and other gruesome crimes, some of which were pictured and distributed in Daesh/ISIS/ISIL propaganda. Government forces retook control of Palmyra in 2017 and efforts are on to restore what is possible. Our team led by Associate Editor Amitabh P. Revi travelled from Beirut to Damascus to Palmyra in September 2018 to document the ruins as they stood. Here’s a replug.

Editor’s Note: This documentary was first aired on November 4, 2018 and won RT’s Khaled Alkateb International Memorial Award 2019 for ‘Best video journalism from a conflict zone, long form’