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A view shows damaged shops in Al Khandaq Street in Old Aleppo Oct. 2, 2012 file photo. Syria's23-month-old conflict is tearing the country apart and has raised international concerns over the fate of one of the richest and most diverse historical collections of any single nation.Zain Karam/Reuters

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The Aleppo castle, held by pro-government forces, in this Nov. 2, 2012. The UN cultural body UNESCO says it is concerned for the fate of six World Heritage sites including the old cities of Damascus, Aleppo and Bosra and the imposing Crusader castle, Crac des Chevaliers.ASMAA WAGUIH/Reuters

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A lion-headed eagle, made of gold and tar dated to the third millennium B.C., is on display at an exhibition at the national museum in Damascus in this January 30, 2011 file photo. Syrian museums have locked away thousands of ancient treasures to protect them from looting and violenc,e but one of humanity's greatest cultural heritages remains in grave peril, the archaeologist charged with their protection said.KHALED AL-HARIRI/Reuters

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A Free Syrian Army fighter aims towards Aleppo's historical citadel controlled by snipers loyal to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad in this November 28, 2012 file photo.Saad Al-Jabri/Reuters

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Sandbags are piled at the ancient Castle of Homs, which is controlled by forces loyal to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad Dec. 19, 2012. In a country which also boasts stunning Crusader castles, Roman ruins and a history stretching back through the great empires of the Middle East to the dawn of human civilisation, the task of safeguarding that heritage from modern conflict is a daunting responsibility.YAZAN HOMSY/Reuters

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A damaged ceiling is pictured in the Bab Antakya district in Old Aleppo Oct. 2, 2012. The worst damage has reportedly been to a collection of seven old markets in Aleppo, unsurpassed in the Middle East, that were gutted by fire that also damaged the city's Great Umayyad Mosque.Zain Karam/Reuters

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