Islamic State militants have demolished the ancient temple of Baal Shamin, or “Lord of the Heavens”, in Palmyra, Syria, according to reports.
Advertisement
“The [inner area of the temple] was destroyed and the columns around collapsed”, said Abdulkarim.
Until Sunday, most of Palmyra’s most well-known websites had been left intact, although there have been studies IS had mined them and the group reportedly destroyed a well-known statue of a lion outdoors the town’s museum.
The UK-based watchdog group cited information and narratives by people who escaped Palmyra as stating that the detonation of the temple happened a month ago.
Islamic State militants in May seized control of Palmyra, a city in northern Syria that’s home to one of the region’s most renowned classical sites.
Construction of the Baalshamin temple began in the year 17 CE, and was enlarged and embellished by the Roman Emperor Hadrian in 130.
Known as the “Pearl of the desert”, Palmyra, which means City of Palms, was a well-preserved oasis 210 kilometres (130 miles) northeast of Damascus.
The temple dates back to the first century. The terrorists have also destroyed tombs belonging to revered Shia and Sunni figures.
Syria has many prehistoric, Greek, Byzantine and Islamic heritages.
The newest developments come simply days after IS jihadists beheaded the eighty two-yr-previous retired chief archaeologist of Palmyra.
Lingering health problems afflicting numerous roughly 13,000 Ebola survivors have galvanized global and local health officials to find out how widespread the ailments are, and how to remedy them.
Advertisement
In February, it released a video showing militants using sledgehammers to smash statues in the country’s second city Mosul, and the group’s fighters have also burned thousands of rare books and manuscripts, and destroyed several other landmarks.
