IS photos ‘show Palmyra temple destruction’

Islamic State (IS) has published images of what appears to be the destruction of the Temple of Baalshamin at the ancient ruins of Palmyra in Syria. The photos showing militants rigging the temple with explosives and a large explosion were circulated by the jihadist group’s supporters. Syrian officials and activists said on Sunday that it […]

Islamic State (IS) has published images of what appears to be the destruction of the Temple of Baalshamin at the ancient ruins of Palmyra in Syria.
The photos showing militants rigging the temple with explosives and a large explosion were circulated by the jihadist group’s supporters.
Syrian officials and activists said on Sunday that it had been blown up.
The UN’s cultural organisation said the deliberate destruction of Syria’s cultural heritage was a war crime.
Unesco’s director-general, Irina Bokova, accused IS of seeking to “deprive the Syrian people of its knowledge, its identity and history”.
She also expressed outrage at the beheading last week of Khaled al-Asaad, the retired chief archaeologist at Palmyra, who refused to co-operate with IS.
The Temple of Baalshamin was built nearly 2,000 years ago.