Before
After
The celebrated suspension
bridge, which straddles the Euphrates River and connects
the eastern city of Deir
Ezzor with al-Hasakah
in the northeast corner of Syria, was yesterday bombed
and brought down by Syrian regime forces, according to eyewitness accounts.
The 450m long cable-stayed suspension bridge,
which was built by the French in 1927, originally carried
vehicles but was later restricted to pedestrian and cyclist traffic.
Overnight, the Syrian opposition’s National
Coalition said in a statement posted on its Facebook page, “Syria’s
sacrifices are certainly not limited to loss of life; monuments, mosques,
churches, and now this historic bridge have been destroyed in (Bashar) Assad’s
attempt to crush the revolution…
“For over 86
years, this historic bridge has connected the two Euphrates banks, but due to
Assad’s disregard not only for human life, but also for our national monuments,
it now lays in ruins.
“The Syrian
Coalition strongly condemns the regime’s destructive policies, which have
purposely targeted Syria’s heritage and civilization. We call on international
organizations to uphold their duties and help protect what is left of Syria’s
historical heritage…”
Destruction of the bridge follows last week’s
demolition by Syrian army tank fire of the minaret of the landmark 12th
century Umayyad
Mosque in the northern city of Aleppo.
UNESCO describes the world-heritage-listed
mosque as one of the most beautiful in the Muslim world.
For a list of heritage sites damaged so far during the Syria war, press
here.
