Syria's rich heritage threatened by the turmoil SYRIA

FILE - In this Friday, April 20, 2012 file photo, a Syrian rebel stands inside a damaged historic house that was shelled by the Syrian security forces, at al-Hamidiya neighborhood, in the old city of Homs province, central Syria. The chaos from Syria's yearlong revolt is destroying some of the country's most important archaeological sites, and horrified experts warn that some of the Middle East's most precious sites are at risk of destruction and looting. (AP Photo, File) less FILE - In this Friday, April 20, 2012 file photo, a Syrian rebel stands inside a damaged historic house that was shelled by the Syrian security forces, at al-Hamidiya neighborhood, in the old city of Homs ... more Photo: Str, Associated Press Photo: Str, Associated Press Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Syria's rich heritage threatened by the turmoil 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

Beirut --

On its towering hilltop perch, the Krak des Chevaliers, one of the world's best preserved Crusader castles, held off a siege by the Muslim warrior Saladin nearly 900 years ago. It was lauded by Lawrence of Arabia for its beauty and has been one of the crown jewels of Syria's tourism.

But it has fallen victim to the chaos of Syria's uprising and the crackdown against it by President Bashar Assad's government. Recently, gunmen broke into the castle, threw out the staff and began excavations to loot the site, says Bassam Jammous, general director of the Antiquities and Museum Department in Damascus.

Syria's turmoil is threatening the country's rich archaeological heritage, experts warn.

Some of the country's most significant sites have been caught in the crossfire in battles between government forces and rebels. Others have been turned into military bases, raising archaeologists' fears of damage. Government shelling of neighborhoods where the opposition is holed up has smashed historic mosques, churches and souks, or markets. Looters have stolen artifacts from excavations and museums.

In one of the most egregious examples, shells thudded into the walls of the 12th century al-Madeeq Citadel, raising flames and columns of smoke as government forces battled with rebels in March. The bombardment punched holes in the walls, according to online footage of the fighting.

Local activists said government forces carried out the assault and afterward moved tanks into the hilltop castle. Later footage showed bulldozers knocking through part of the walls to create an entrance.

The government and opposition have traded blame for damage and looting of sites around the country. But a group of European and Syrian archaeologists tracking the threats through witness reports from the ground says that in several cases, government forces have directly hit historic sites and either participated in or turned a blind eye to looting.

"We have facts showing that the government is acting directly against the country's historical heritage," said Rodrigo Martin, a Spanish archaeologist who has led past research missions inside Syria.

What's happening is reminiscent of Iraq's chaos in the wake of Saddam Hussein's 2003 fall, when Baghdad's major museum was looted, and of Egypt, where looting has reportedly increased at archaeological sites around the country in the turmoil since longtime President Hosni Mubarak was toppled last year.

An important crossroads, Syria's rich archaeological treasures extend over millennia.