WEEKLY REPORT 105-106
August 3-18, 2016
U. S. Dept. Cooperation Agreement Number: NEA-PSHSS-14-001
BY Michael D. Danti, Allison Cuneo, Susan Penacho, Amr Al-Azm, Bijan Rouhani, Marina Gabriel, Kyra Kaercher, Jamie O’Connell
DOWNLOAD: REPORT
* This report is based on research conducted by the “Safeguarding the Heritage of the Near East Initiative,” funded by the US Department of State. Monthly reports reflect reporting from a variety of sources and may contain unverified material. As such, they should be treated as preliminary and subject to change.
Executive Summary
During the reporting period, the northern wall of the Aleppo Citadel was struck and severely damaged, and airstrikes also hit a cultural center and mosque in the city. Fighting in Aleppo escalated following Eid al-Fitr, resulting in heightened suffering for the city’s trapped inhabitantsand significant damage to the Old City of Aleppo and the Aleppo Citadel. Armed opposition groups detonated multiple tunnel bombs in the area, and Syrian Regime and Russian forces have responded with airstrikes. Nearly all factions in the conflict have poured reinforcements into the embattled city — the regime and the opposition view control of Aleppo as crucial to military success. As the conflict in Aleppo intensifies, undoubtedly more damage will be inflicted upon thecity’s already fragile and threatened critical services, infrastructure, and cultural heritage.Airstrikes and artillery bombardments on hospitals, schools, residential areas, and houses of worship are daily occurrences. Critical shortages of water, food, and medical supplies/treatment threaten hundreds of thousands of civilians, with no end in sight, and vast swathes of the city lie in ruin.
The situation throughout the rest of Syria is equally worrying. Fighting has damaged active places of worship across the country, including mosques in Hreitan, Adnan, Daraya, Teir Ma’ala, as well asa church in Idlib. Multiple historic sites have been damaged, including a bath complex and mosque in Manbij and a 12th-century CE mosque in Ma’arat al-Numan. IDPs are allegedly living in Byzantine buildings in Bariqa, Quneitra Governorate.
Iraqi security and Peshmerga continue to advance in the areas to the north and south of the city of Mosul, conducting clearing operations in the recaptured areas. The offensive against ISIL hasunfortunately resulted in collateral damage to Mosul University, one of Iraq’s most esteemed highereducation establishments. ISIL has seized and repurposed university buildings, including laboratories that have been reportedly used by ISIL to build explosives.
Key points from this report:
- US-led coalition airstrikes have destroyed or damaged many buildings on the Mosul University campus, some of which were reportedly being used by ISIL militants (ASOR CHI Incident Report IHI 16-0026).
- ISIL militants reportedly destroyed a 10th-century CE Syrian Orthodox Church in Mosul, Ninawa Governorate in order to expand a nearby mosque (ASOR CHI Incident Report IHI 16-0027).
- New video footage shows damage to a mosque in Hreitan, Aleppo Governorate, reportedly the result of a SARG airstrike earlier in 2016 (ASOR CHI Incident Report SHI 16-0120).
- Video footage shows the current status of a historic bath complex and mosque in Manbij, Aleppo Governorate following the expulsion of ISIL militants from the city (ASOR CHI Incident Report SHI 16-0121).
- Video footage shows mortar fire striking the minarets of two mosques in Daraya, Rif Dimashq Governorate (ASOR CHI Incident Report SHI 16-0122).
- A SARG airstrike reportedly damaged a 12th-century CE mosque in Ma’arat al-Numan, Idlib Governorate (ASOR CHI Incident Report SHI 16-0123).
- SARG forces allegedly detonated explosives on the Citadel of Aleppo, damaging fortification walls and the Citadel Museum (ASOR CHI Incident Report SHI 16-0124).
- DGAM reports looting at several archaeological sites in the al-Hawl region of al-Hasakah Governorate (ASOR CHI Incident Report SHI 16-0125).
- Alleged Russian airstrike damaged a church in the city of Idlib (ASOR CHI Incident Report SHI 16-0126).
- A SARG airstrike allegedly damaged a mosque in Teir Ma’ala, Homs Governorate (ASOR CHI Incident Report SHI 16-0127).
- Reported SARG airstrikes damaged two mosques in the city of Idlib (ASOR CHI Incident Report SHI 16-0128).
- A Russian airstrike allegedly damaged a mosque in Anadan, Aleppo Governorate (ASOR CHI Incident Report SHI 16-0129).
- Video footage shows IDPs living in the ruins of Byzantine buildings in Bariqa, Quneitra Governorate (ASOR CHI Incident Report SHI 16-0130).
- SARG or Russian airstrikes allegedly destroyed a cultural center and a mosque in the city of Aleppo (ASOR CHI Incident Report SHI 16-0131).