Syrian Arab News Agency S A N A
Daraa, SANA- The Palace of Zien El-Abidine in Enkhel city has been vandalized and looted by armed organizations, like dozens of archaeological sites in Daraa province.
The Palace, which is located in the northwestern part of Enkhel, is seized by Jabhat al-Nusra and other terrorist groups which caused massive damage to it.
Local sources in the
city of Enkhel said that the Palace was exposed to excavations in search of hidden treasures and archaeological monuments as it dates back to the late 2nd century AD.
The main façade of the Palace was the most damaged part where a two- meter hole was created, said the sources, adding that terrorist groups are preventing anyone from reaching the Palace or any other archaeological site in the city.
Zien El-Abidine Palace consists of a large central hall and two eastern and western
sections with several rooms. Its interior walls contained wall vaults but were later closed with stones mixed with mud while its ceiling is divided into two parts by a large archway.
The Antiquities Department of Daraa started acts of restoration for the palace in 1992. it was renovated in later periods until the terrorist groups took control of the city of Enkhel in 2012 and since that date all attempts to reach it have failed because these groups prevented the Antiquities Department from entering the city.
Manar/Mazen
