Syria's Historic Crusader Castle Damaged by War

The Crac des Chevaliers when held off a siege through the Muslim warrior Saladin a few 900 a
prolonged time ago, nevertheless these days bears the particular wounds of contemporary warfare:
hefty artillery damaged its walls, an airstrike punctured its roof as well as shrapnel tore via its
religious artifacts.
From its towering hilltop perch inside western Syria, the particular world's best preserved medieval
Crusader castle has fallen victim to the chaos of Syria's civil war as rebels fight to end up being able
to topple President Bashar Assad. Your damage done to the majestic stone structure, listed as a
UNESCO world Heritage site, exhibits the warring facets will quit at nothing, including the actual
destruction of the country's rich heritage, to hold on to energy as well as territory.
Journalists via the associated Press reconstructed the actual battle regarding Crac des Chevaliers
right after talking for you to Syrian soldiers along with nearby residents during related website a
rare trip by simply Western media towards the castle since its capture simply by government troops
in March. That They talked associated with residents involving Hosn along with rebels using the
castle walls like a last refuge, much such as the Crusaders just before them.
The Crac des Chevaliers, several 40 kilometers (25 miles) west of Homs and simply north in the
Lebanese border, caught the eye of the young T.E. Lawrence before just click your up coming post
he became Lawrence associated with Arabia. Lawrence lauded its beauty along with known as it one
of the particular world's greatest castles. That dominates the actual surrounding go to become able
to this website valley and also terraced hills under and also when has been among the particular
crown jewels associated with Syrian tourism before its 3-year-old conflict began.
It is significantly like many of the country's many significant historical sites, caught inside the
crossfire in a conflict in which activists say has killed greater than 150,000 people. Several web sites
happen in order to be changed into military bases. Shelling features visit your website smashed
historic mosques, churches and also markets. Looters possess stolen artifacts through excavations
and also museums.
About two years ago, Assad's forces identified the particular Sunni-populated village regarding Hosn
as backing your rebels. That They began an armed blockade in which permitted no one to leave as
well as go inside. The Particular government mentioned Hosn harbored foreign, al-Qaida-linked
armed insurgents who terrorized neighboring, mostly Christian villages.
"The terrorists killed and kidnapped folks and also chopped off their heads," stated any Syrian army
officer, making use of the government term for your insurgents. "We had to quit these people with
any cost."
He spoke upon condition associated with anonymity because he wasn't authorized to communicate
publicly. His declare couldn't become independently verified and also Syrian government officials
accompanied AP journalists upon his or her trip inside the region.
Throughout the war, Assad's government offers employed armed siege techniques with a devastating
effect: shelling and also starving fighters along with civilians alike throughout opposition-held areas
directly into submission or even flight.
Under the actual heavy bombardment final winter, Hosn's population associated with around 9,000
individuals had nowhere in order to go nevertheless up the actual hill towards the castle. some fled
for you to neighboring Lebanon in the daring dash through the army blockade. Hundreds barricaded
themselves inside the actual castle -- men, women along with children.
Among these had been dozens regarding rebel fighters whom at times lobbed mortar shells coming
from inside your tall walls, hitting nearby Christian villages, government soldiers along with locals
say.
The insurgents are usually overwhelmingly in the country's Sunni majority. Shiite Muslims and
Christian minorities have either remained neutral or even supported Assad, fearing pertaining to
their particular fate should hard-liners arrived at power.