Heartbreak as Syrians briefly return home to Palmyra

When Daesh fighters overran the ancient Syrian town of Palmyra almost a year ago, Maha Abderrazak was among tens of thousands of terrified civilians who fled west, many escaping with just the clothes on their backs and the few belongings they could carry by hand.
This week, the 22-year-old is among the few hundred town residents trickling back to Palmyra — now free of Daesh extremists — to check on their homes. They came to salvage what they can — some carpets, blankets, a fridge or a few family mementos. There is no water or electricity in the town, and it will be at least few months before anyone can return to stay.
The emotional scenes of people hurriedly carting away belongings highlights Palmyra’s present-day human tragedy that has been largely sidelined by the magnitude of the destruction inflicted by Daesh militants on the world famous Roman-era ruins that stand just outside the town.
Much of the ancient Palmyra, a UNESCO world heritage site that includes 2,000-year-old ruins, was destroyed by Daesh militants who blew up some of its most famous monuments, filming the destruction for the world to see. The destruction of the Arch de Triumph, temples of Baalshamin and parts of the Temple of Bel, one of the best-preserved Roman-era sites, captured world attention and triggered an outpouring of international concern.
Source :Arab News