PARIS, April 12. /TASS/. The Executive Board of UNESCO has approved Russia-submitted resolution on preservation and restoration of Palmyra and other cultural facilities in Syria.
Russia’s initiative was approved unanimously, the UNESCO secretariat told TASS.
Palmyra, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage list, was recaptured by the Syrian Armed Forces March 27. The city had been controlled by militants of the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group since May 2015. For less than a year of their Palmyra control, IS vandals destroyed the famous Arch of Triumph with the colonnade and other ancient monuments.
Russian General Staff Main Operations Directorate chief Lt. Gen. Sergey Rudskoy said March 31 that the operation to liberate Palmyra was planned with participation of Russian military advisers.
Rudskoy said Russia’s Aerospace Forces made over 2,000 strikes to support the Syrian troops. Besides, Russian special operations forces were involved in the effort to recapture the ancient city.
On March 31 morning, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported that the first group of International Anti-mine Center specialists arrived in Syria.
Later in the day, the ministry said the second group of specialists from the interservice team of the Russian Armed Forces’ International Anti-mine Center left the Moscow Region for the Khmeimim airbase in Syria to take part in the humanitarian effort to clear infrastructure facilities and the historical part of the ancient city of Palmyra of mines.
The ceasefire regime took effect in Syria on February 27. Shortly before, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution supporting a cessation of hostilities. The document drafted by Russia and the United States was backed by all 15 Security Council member states.
The ceasefire regime does not cover the Islamic State and Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist organizations as well as other groups ruled terrorist by the Security Council.