The wife, children and grandchildren of the spouse of the Prime Minister of Syria were killed

The damage caused by the massive earthquake that originated in Syria and originated in Turkey has affected several archaeological sites, most notably the Aleppo Citadel, according to a statement from the Syrian General Directorate of Antiquities and Museums. According to unconfirmed official figures, at least 248 people were killed and 700 injured in areas controlled by the Syrian government. Most injuries were recorded in the governorates of Latakia and Tartus (west), Aleppo (north) and Hama (center). And the General Directorate of Antiquities said in a statement that “parts of the Ottoman mill inside the Aleppo Citadel collapsed, and parts of the northeastern defensive walls cracked and collapsed.” Also “large parts of the dome of the lighthouse of the Ayyubid Mosque” located inside the castle, the entrances of which were damaged and parts of its stones fell off, “including the entrance to the Mamluk defensive tower.” In the old city of Aleppo, collapses and cracks have occurred in several residential buildings adjacent to the historic walls. Aleppo is famous for its castle, which is an example of medieval Islamic military architecture, as well as for its old markets, which are among the oldest in the world. During the most violent years of the conflict, the castle, markets and several other ancient buildings in the city were badly damaged. In the governorate of Hama, a preliminary survey by archaeological teams revealed damage to “some buildings inside the ancient castle of Al-Markab” in the city of Baniyas, the collapse of parts of the walls and a block of a round tower. Similarly, historic facades collapsed in the city of Hama. A rocky cliff collapsed in the vicinity of Cadmus Castle in Tartus Governorate, and residential buildings collapsed in the castle grounds. The antiquities teams are still assessing the damage and have not received accurate information on whether it also affected the ancient city of Palmyra. The tremors were also felt in Lebanon and Cyprus, according to AFP correspondents. According to unconfirmed official figures, at least 248 people were killed and 700 injured in areas controlled by the Syrian government. Most of the wounded were recorded in the governorates of Latakia, Tartus (west), Aleppo (north) and Hama (center). A Sputnik correspondent in the governorate of Hama reported the death of the sister of the Syrian Prime Minister, Hussein Arnus, along with her 9 children and grandchildren under the rubble of a collapsed building in the Arbain district of the city of Hama due to a strong earthquake. According to a Sputnik correspondent, the bodies of five of them were taken to hospitals, and work is underway to extract the rest from the rubble.