Press release

FCO Minister expresses concern for people and historic sites in Palmyra

Minister for the Middle East Tobias Ellwood calls ISIL presence in Palmyra a tragedy

• From: Foreign & Commonwealth Office and The Rt Hon Tobias Ellwood MP
• Published: 21 May 2015

Commenting on reports that ISIL forces have reached the UNESCO World Heritage Site at Palmyra in Syria, Foreign Office Minister Tobias Ellwood said:

ISIL’s presence in the ancient site of Palmyra is a tragedy for all Syrians and its destruction would be a terrible act of vandalism. This is part of a much wider human catastrophe: hundreds of thousands of Syrians have been killed at the hands of Assad and ISIL, millions have been displaced and historic cities such as Aleppo have been reduced to rubble by regime bombardment.

The UK is working with its allies to support the moderate Syrian Opposition to defend the Syrian people from Assad’s inhumanity and ISIL’s savagery.

Further information

• Follow the Foreign Secretary on Twitter @PHammondMP

• Follow Foreign Office Minister Tobias Ellwood on Twitter @TobiasEllwoodMP

• Follow the Foreign Office on Twitter @foreignoffice

• Follow the Foreign Office on Facebook and Google+

Media enquiries

For journalists

Email newsdesk@fco.gov.uk

Published 21 May 2015