Restorations have begun in Afghanistan to reconstruct the Darul Aman Palace, which was bombed to ruins in the Afghan Civil war in the 1990s and has been left that way since.
Afghan President Abdul Ghani on 30 May launched a project to renew the decrepit palace to symbolise a new future for the war-torn country.
The palace stands outside the centre of Kabul, and was built by King Amanullah Khan in an attempt to modernise Afghanistan. It was to be the capital of Afghanistan.
The palace was burnt repeatedly during the 1970-80s, and then bombed and abandoned in 1990s.
The project is expected to cost $16.5 million to $20 million and take three to five years to complete, said Abdul Aziz Ibrahimi, a media adviser for the ministry of Urban Development and Housing.
Ashraf Ghani, in a tweet, said that the Darul Aman Palace is a reminder of their darkest days, which is why he has approved its restoration.
Once complete, the building will be used as a museum and a venue for national ceremonies, Ghani said.
(With inputs from Reuters)
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