Ancient city of Palmyra under Isis threat

Palmyra, Syria. Image by Varun Shiv Kapur / CC BY 2.0

The ancient Syrian city of Palmyra is under threat from Isis, who have overrun nearby villages and engaged in fighting less than 2km from the city gates. It is feared the world heritage site, which houses 1st and 2nd century temples and colonnades, will be destroyed if Isis access it, suffering a similar fate to Iraq’s Nimrud and Hatra. Syria’s head of antiquities has issued an urgent appeal for an international effort to help protect the artefacts before it’s too late. Read more: arabnews.com