Russians said building army base at Syria’s Palmyra site

An American heritage organization says the Russian military is constructing a new army base in the central Syrian town of Palmyra, within the protected zone that holds the archaeological site listed by UNESCO as world heritage.

The American School of Oriental Research’s Cultural Heritage Initiative posted DigitalGlobe satellite imagery that shows the construction on the northern edge of the ancient site that was damaged by the Islamic State group, which held Palmyra for 10 months.

Syrian troops backed by Russian airstrikes captured Palmyra in March and fighting continues miles away until this day.

Maamoun Abdulkarim, who heads the department of Damascus antiquities and museums, says the Russians are building small barracks that include offices and clinics. His organization was not asked for permission, he says.

— AP