Syria was once famed for its spectacular heritage sites, but new satellite imagery shows at least 290 cultural monuments have been destroyed or damaged since the outbreak of war in 2011. Syria is home to archaeological treasures that span thousands of years of written history, from the Roman ruins in the desert oasis of Palmyra to the towering Crusader castle known as the Crac des Chevaliers near the Mediterranean coast. The nation's capital, Damascus, is also one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world. As evidence emerges of the extent of the devastation caused by the civil war, experts also claim ancient treasures dating back three millennia have been plundered and are being sold on the British black market and eBay to fund Islamic State terrorists.
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New satellite images show extensive damage to most treasured sites
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UN report confirms 24 sites completely destroyed in civil war
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Archeological sites ruined and buildings damaged in violent clashes
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