Homs Governor: Several weeks to repair damaged services and infrastructure in Palmyra

1 April، 2016

Homs, SANA – Governor of Homs Talal al-Barazi stressed that services facilities and infrastructure have sustained severe damage due to the terrorist attacks in Palmyra city.

Restoring services may take several weeks, once repair works start next week, in order to help displaced people return back to their homes, said al-Barazi on Thursday during a tour to examine the losses and damage in Palmyra, accompanied by the directors of services establishments in Homs.

The governor inspected the telephone center, the electric grid and water network and visited the National Museum in the city, whose contents, and several historical monuments like the Arch of Triumph and Temple of Bel, were had clearly been subjected to vandalism acts at the hands of ISIS terrorists.

He said repair workshops will start as soon as the military engineering units complete their mission to defuse and dismantle explosive devices and mines planted almost all over the city, pointing out that several non-governmental international organizations have expressed readiness to take part in restoring the ruins of Palmyra.

Director of Homs Department of Archeology Hussam Hamish, said the examination of the National Museum’s contents showed the possibility that some of the damaged artifacts can be restored and brought back to their previous status including the Lion of al-Lat.

The Arch of Triumph, which was blown up by ISIS, can be worked on as well, said Hamish, adding that the Temple of Bel needs expert examination since its main structure was completely demolished.

For his part, Director of Homs Electricity Company Musleh al-Hassan said the electric grid has been severely damaged and transfer plants were stolen, highlighting that the damage scale exceeds 80 % and the repair costs are estimated at hundreds of millions.

Director of Homs Telecommunications Directorate, Kanaan Jouda, said it is possible to soon re-operate Palmyra telephone center which has been vandalized by ISIS terrorists.