The damage ISIS did in Palmyra, Syria, may take 5 years to repair

A discouraging cleanup timeline.
(Image credit: MAHER AL MOUNES/AFP/Getty Images)

Syrian forces recaptured Palmyra from Islamic State militants Sunday, but getting the ancient city back in shape after nearly a year won't be an easy process, The Wall Street Journal reports. The terrorist group razed residential neighborhoods, damaged a 2,000-year-old temple and parts of another temple, and three ancient tombs.

Altogether, the damage should take about five years to repair, government antiquities director Maamoun Abdulkarim said Monday. But all things considered, he said he expected Palmyra to be even worse off.

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Julie Kliegman

Julie Kliegman is a freelance writer based in New York. Her work has appeared in BuzzFeed, Vox, Mental Floss, Paste, the Tampa Bay Times and PolitiFact. Her cats can do somersaults.