UNITAR’s Operational Satellite Applications Programme (UNOSAT) reports major damage to cultural heritage sites in Syria – Call for protection
23 December 2014, Geneva, Switzerland – UNITAR’s Operational Satellite Applications Programme (UNOSAT) today issued a substantive report following detailed satellite imagery analysis of cultural heritage sites in Syria. The report documents widespread damage caused by the current conflict to cultural heritage areas, including UNESCO World Heritage Properties. Areas such as Aleppo, where settlements have been in place for over 7,000 years, Damascus, Crac des Chevaliers, Raqqa and Palmyra have all been exposed to major damage. Looting, destruction from aerial…