NEW DELHI: Just about a week ago, in a major victory for the Syrian troops, the Islamic State was driven out of the historic city of Palmyra. The militants had captured the city in May 2015, sending shockwaves across the world as reports emerged of the destruction being carried out by the group. Along with ancient columns, the militant group blew up the Temple of Bel, the temple of Baalshamin and the Arch of Triumph -- built around 1 century AD. Three funerary towers, including the Tower of Elhabel, which was built in AD103 and was well preserved, were blown up.

The first news out of Palmyra following the capture was tinged with positivity. Surveillance photos showed that some of Palmyra’s ruins appeared to survive, including the Agora and the celebrated Roman theatre. Maamoun Abdelkarim, Syria’s antiquities chief, told AFP that authorities had been “expecting the worst” but the landscape, in general, is in good shape”.

Since then, a series of photos have emerged that show the full extent of the damage -- and it’s extremely tragic.

Photographer Joseph Eid, who also visited the site in March 2014 -- before it was taken over by the militant group -- captured the before and after.

(A picture of the Arc du Triomphe (Triumph's Arch) contrasted with what remains of the historic monument after it was destroyed by the Islamic State in October 2015 in the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra. (JOSEPH EID/AFP/Getty Images)).

(Another view showing the full extent of the damage at Arc du Triomphe (Triumph's Arch), which was destroyed by the Islamic State in October 2015).

(A picture showing the Temple of Bel before it was destroyed by the Islamic State in September 2015 in the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra. The structure dated back to 32AD. (JOSEPH EID/AFP/Getty Images)).

(Security officials stand around the ruins of the Temple of Bel, also destroyed by the Islamic State. (JOSEPH EID/AFP/Getty Images)).

(The Temple of Baal Shamin seen through two Corinthian columns at Palmyra, Syria. (JOSEPH EID/AFP/Getty Images)).



(Inside Palmyra museum showing defaced sculptures. (JOSEPH EID/AFP/Getty Images))

The recapture of Palmyra is a major victory for the Syrian forces -- not just militarily but also because of the city’s cultural and historical significance. When Syrian troops retook the city, one soldier stood sobbing loudly in the ruins, wrote The Guardian. “I’m sad to see some of the old city destroyed, but I’m also weeping for my brother, who died in the battle here,” the soldier said. “By taking the city, I feel I’ve avenged his death.”

(Statues were beheaded in the Palmyra museum. (JOSEPH EID/AFP/Getty Images )).

(An ancient work of art, which may have been shot at by Isis militants. (JOSEPH EID/AFP/Getty Images.))

(An ancient tomb has been defaced and lies in the wreckage of the Palmyra museum. (JOSEPH EID/AFP/Getty Images )).

(The face of a statue lies on the floor in the Palmyra museum. (JOSEPH EID/AFP/Getty Images )).

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