Monitoring Desk
ISLAMABAD: Syria’s antiquities authority on Monday (6 February) said that in the country’s northern city of Aleppo the famed citadel along with several other archaeological sites were damaged in a deadly earthquake earlier in the day.
Regarding the quake’s impact, Syria’s Directorate-General of Antiquities and Museums disclosed that inside the citadel parts of the Ottoman mill have collapsed. The defensive walls in the northeastern side of the citadel have cracked and fallen.
Quake damages dome of Ayyubid mosque’s minaret in ancient city of Aleppo
The authority’s statement added that the minaret’s dome has fallen off. The minaret is of an Ayyubid mosque within the citadel. Apart from this, the fort’s entrance and that of the Mamluk tower have also been damaged.
Aleppo is a historic city renowned for its UNESCO-listed historic center, ancient citadel, and centuries-old covered markets.
Prior to the ongoing Syrian conflict, Aleppo was the country’s commercial hub. The city is considered to be among world’s longest continuously inhabited cities, boasting caravanserais, markets, mosques, and public baths.
Read Also: Over 900 Killed in Deadly Earthquake in Turkey, Syria
Syria’s provinces of Hama and Tartu revealed damaged archeological sites.
In Hama province’s city of Baniyas, a few buildings inside the historic Al-Marqab Castle had been damaged.
Near the Qadmus castle In Tartus province, portion of a rocky cliff and residential buildings on the site were badly damaged.
Expert teams were checking whether the ancient city of Palmyra was also damaged.
The early morning quake struck near Gaziantep in SE Turkiye at a depth of around 18 kilometers, the US Geological Survey stated.
