Idleb, SANA_ After years-long of terrorism control over Maarat al-Numan city in Idleb Governorate, the Syrian Arab Army has liberated the city and cleared it of terrorists.
With the liberation of the city, cadres of Idleb Directorate of Antiquities, hurried to the famous museum of Maarat al-Numan to check on the status of the archaeological antiquities that they hid them in a secret place inside the museum.
The cadres of Idleb Antiquities preserved the antiquities of the museum and protected them from terrorism by hiding them in a secret place.
Director of Idleb Antiquities Department Ghazi Aloulou, told SANA that the cadres, before the terrorists’ entry to the city, managed to collect the artifacts displayed in the museum’s coffers and transported them to a secret place in the cellar inside it to hide them and protect them from looting by terrorists.
Aloulou mentioned that when he arrived at the museum after the defeat of terrorism, he found that the artifacts are still in their place and are in good condition.
The artifacts include pottery pieces from various historical eras discovered during the excavations carried out by the Antiquities Directorate in the city over twenty years, a set of artifacts on display and other collections previously displayed in the museum in addition to traditional folk exhibits made of bronze and copper parts.
The status of belonging was shown by the Syrians all over the Syrian territories and in different fields whether in Idleb, Daraa, Aleppo, Deir Ezzour, Homs and many other cities and in the facilities whose workers have kept the machines and hidden them in their homes or in secret locations to protect them from terrorism and looting.
Director General of Antiquities and Museums Dr. Mahmoud Hammoud clarified that a team from the General Directorate visited Maarat al-Numan museum as soon as it was liberated from terrorism to see the damage it had caused and start the restoration operations directly.
Hammoud praised the efforts made by cadres of Antiquities and the people of the region, who helped protect the antiquities and the museum from theft, looting and vandalism, and to protect their heritage and civilization.
He pointed out that the team check on the status the mosaic pieces in the museum, stressing that they are in good condition, and that the directorate intends to intervene to quickly restore and maintain the museum for fear of collapses in some of its parts.
The statue of Abu al ‘Alaa al Ma’arri, which was destroyed by the terrorists, was collected by the General Directorate team, with the aim of restoring it and returning it as it was, Hammoud said.