Heritage sites destroyed by ISIS militants. The latest is the Grand al-Nuri Mosque, more than 800 years old, located in Mosul (Northern Iraq).
Officials say ISIS fighters blew up Mosul’s most iconic mosque as government troops closed in. The Grand al-Nuri Mosque, more than 800 years old, was where ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi declared a caliphate in 2014, the BBC reports. Aerial photos showed little but rubble remaining at the mosque complex, where the black flag of ISIS had flown since 2014.
The destruction of the mosque and its famous minaret “amounts to an official acknowledgement of defeat,” Iraqi prime minister Haider al-Abadi said in a statement.
Islamic State tramples on heritage, destroys ancient theater, Tetrapylon in Palmyra
ISIS destroy landmark ancient Roman monument (Tetrapylon) and parts of the theater in Syria’s historic town of Palmyra.
As per reports from Syria, militants have destroyed the facade of the second-century amphitheater along with the Tetrapylon, a cubic-shaped ancient Roman monument that sits in the middle of the colonnade road that leads to the theater.
The destruction was ascertained after satellite images, confirming the destruction, were made available – only two of the 16 columns of the Tetrapylon remain standing and the stage backdrop has sustained damage.
Photos show the size of the damage to the Roman theater and the Tetrapylon in #Palmyra.
destroyed by criminals #ISIS pic.twitter.com/76kfVEGk15— Khaled AL Homsi (@PalmyraPioneer) January 20, 2017
ISIS militants have destroyed part of Roman amphitheater and the Tetrapylon (a cubic shaped ancient Roman monument) in #Palmyra. pic.twitter.com/x6vAtPSJdo
— Brenda StoterBoscolo (@BrendaStoter) January 20, 2017
In the last few months, ISIS have been using the theater for public killings, and posting chilling videos of the slayings. The first time ISIS claimed Palmyra, they had beheaded the 81-year-old scholar who was the director of antiquities in the city.
In the last few years, ISIS has destroyed several ancient temples, monuments and heritage sites.
- Tetrapylon (ancient Roman monument), dated back to 270 AD (when Queen Zenobia had reached the height of her power.)
- Temple of Bel, dated back to AD32,
- Temple of Baalshamin, a structure of stone blocks several stories high fronted by six towering columns.
- Arch of Triumph which was built under Roman emperor Septimius Severus between AD193 and AD211.
Image source: Twitter
