A liberated town in war-torn Syria has seen underground tunnels, which were dug out by militant insurgents, turned into an art gallery.

The network of tunnels, some nine metres down and stretching several kilometres long, was discovered in April in the Damascus suburb of Jobar, Eastern Ghouta, post-liberation. They had been used for carriage and movement between underground bases and hospitals and as hideouts.

Syrian artists, however, have reclaimed the tunnels and created a number of sculptures and wall carvings in tribute to the Syrian people.

"We tried to tell the story of the sacrifice of the Syrian army, the mother of the martyrs, the homeland and to highlight the humanity of the Syrian army about the hope in the near end of the war in Syria and about old-new Syria," said Muhannad Mualla, the Syrian soldier responsible for creating the tunnel, speaking to Xinhua.

Syria's President Bashar al-Assad is reported to have recently visited the tunnel, hailing the efforts of the artists.

"Darkness, destruction and death are their (rebels) culture while creation, light, art and life are our culture," he said.