"While the West has been passively observing [what is happening] in Syria… the Russian Air Force deliberately launched airstrikes against ISIL targets to stop the destruction" of the Roman city, Die Freie Welt newspaper observed.
On Tuesday, Russia destroyed an ISIL headquarters located 40.3 miles from Palmyra.
The Temple of Bel, the Baalshamin temple and the Arch of Triumph are among the priceless pieces of ancient art which have already been lost. The temples were destroyed in August and the gateway built by the Romans was blown up earlier this month. According to the media outlet, the Arch of Triumph has long been regarded as "the most popular photo spot" in Syria.
Syria's antiquities director Maamoun Abdelkarim recently warned that Palmyra is on the verge of total destruction. The city that once attracted millions of tourists annually could only be saved if the international community helps the Syrian Army to get rid of the Islamic State, he added.
We condemn the destruction of the ancient & beautiful Arch of Triumph at #Palmyra #Unite4Heritage pic.twitter.com/6Kuk06VXay
— UNESCO (@UNESCO) 5 октября 2015
This is what has motivated Russia to assist Syrian ground forces, according to the German newspaper.
