Syria’s archaeological heritage in danger

A general view of an old Byzantine church in the Druze village of Loza, in Idlib province. (AFP, File) September 2012 Reyhanli – Syria’s extraordinary archaeological heritage has fallen prey to the fighting ravaging the country for more than 18 months, with destruction, theft and systematic looting on the rise. In a country where corruption and trafficking of archaeological artefacts and treasures was already a chronic problem, widespread clashes and a power vacuum in some areas have led to an explosion of looting and illicit excavations.