UNESCO delegation visits Karbala for archaeological sites

KARBALA / IraqiNews.com: A delegation representing the United Nations Education, Science and Culture Organization (UNESCO), has visited southwestern Iraq’s holy city of Karbala, aiming at placing its archaeological sites as part of the Archaeological Protection in the World, Karbala‘s governor said on Monday. “A UNESCO delegation has ended a 4-day visit for Karbala city, during which it got acquainted with the majority of its archaeological sites dating back to different historic eras,” Governor Amaliddin al-Hir told IraqiNews.com news agency. The delegation plans to “add the city’s sites as part of the International Archaeological Protection,” he added. The “delegation visited the remnants of al-Uqaisir Church, considered the oldest church in the Middle East, the famous al-Ukheidhir Palace, along with al-Tar remnants, dating back over 5,000 years BC,” he added. “All of these historical sites are situated in the western area of Karbala. There remain dozens of remnants are situated in the city’s other three sides, some of which were visited by the UNESCO delegation,” the governor said. Karbala, the center of the province carrying the same name, is 108 km to the west of Baghdad. SKH (TI)/SR 486