Syrian Antiquities Chief Calls For Help From International Community

Sylvia Poggioli, 'Syrian Antiquities Chief Calls For Help From International Community' November 07, 2015

On Thursday, Maamoun Abdulkarim came to address the Italian Parliament regarding the plight of Syria's 10,000 archaeological sites. Italy has been active in helping protect antiquities in conflict zones. Abdulkarim, the head of Syria's antiquities agency, says that 99 percent of museum collections — some 300,000 museum pieces — have been salvaged, but civil war has still caused massive damage. Speaking to reporters, he compared the ravaged city of Aleppo to Warsaw at the end of World War II. "After the clashes it is looting, with the all the mafia coming from neighboring countries, it is another challenge for us how we can protect all the sites," he said.