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Syrian tourism video: Just another day at the beach

Syria’s Ministry of Tourism released a new promotional video this week, depicting the war-ravaged country as a coastal paradise.
The 1-minute, 43-second video published on the Ministry’s YouTube page shows sunbathers, jet skiers, palm trees and sparkling turquoise water. It does not mention the country’s bloody civil war.
The video, which appears to show aerial shots of the town of Tartus — which was attacked in May by Islamic State suicide bombers — ends with the slogan “Syria: Always Beautiful.”
Tourism in Syria has been significantly reduced since the outbreak of war in 2011.  The Ministry is controlled by Syrian President Bashar Assad.