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| Islamic State releases images said to show destruction of Palmyra temple | Islamic State releases images said to show destruction of Palmyra temple |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Islamic State has released propaganda images purporting to show militants laying explosives in and then blowing up the 2,000-year-old temple of Baal Shamin in the historic Syrian city of Palmyra. | Islamic State has released propaganda images purporting to show militants laying explosives in and then blowing up the 2,000-year-old temple of Baal Shamin in the historic Syrian city of Palmyra. |
| The images posted on social media on Tuesday by supporters of the group and reported by Associated Press showed the temple reduced to a pile of rocks. One caption read: “The complete destruction of the pagan Baal Shamin temple.” | The images posted on social media on Tuesday by supporters of the group and reported by Associated Press showed the temple reduced to a pile of rocks. One caption read: “The complete destruction of the pagan Baal Shamin temple.” |
| Neither AP nor the Guardian could independently verify the images. However, they were released like other group propaganda and carried a logo Isis often uses in Palmyra, in Syria’s central Homs province. | Neither AP nor the Guardian could independently verify the images. However, they were released like other group propaganda and carried a logo Isis often uses in Palmyra, in Syria’s central Homs province. |
| On Monday, the head of the UN’s cultural agency, Unesco, described Isis’s destruction of Baal Shamin as a war crime. | On Monday, the head of the UN’s cultural agency, Unesco, described Isis’s destruction of Baal Shamin as a war crime. |
| Irina Bokova said: “This destruction is a new war crime and an immense loss for the Syrian people and for humanity. Daesh [Isis] is killing people and destroying sites, but cannot silence history and will ultimately fail to erase this great culture from the memory of the world.” | |
| The militants last week murdered Khaled al-Asaad, 82, the keeper of Palmyra. Its latest destruction raises the question of what will become of the ancient oasis city, one of the best-preserved classical sites in a region beset by civil wars and conflict. | The militants last week murdered Khaled al-Asaad, 82, the keeper of Palmyra. Its latest destruction raises the question of what will become of the ancient oasis city, one of the best-preserved classical sites in a region beset by civil wars and conflict. |
| After sweeping through much of northern Iraq last year, Isis set its sights on the ruins near its stronghold of Mosul, ransacking museums, the ruins of once-mighty cities such as Nimrud and Hatra, and desecrating historic Christian and Shia shrines. | After sweeping through much of northern Iraq last year, Isis set its sights on the ruins near its stronghold of Mosul, ransacking museums, the ruins of once-mighty cities such as Nimrud and Hatra, and desecrating historic Christian and Shia shrines. |
| The demolition of Baal Shamin, which was confirmed by activists, is the first major incident of destruction in Palmyra since it was seized by Isis after a week-long siege in May. The group took the city after troops loyal to the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, suddenly withdrew, smuggling out large numbers of statues from the museum. | The demolition of Baal Shamin, which was confirmed by activists, is the first major incident of destruction in Palmyra since it was seized by Isis after a week-long siege in May. The group took the city after troops loyal to the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, suddenly withdrew, smuggling out large numbers of statues from the museum. |
| The regime’s withdrawal left Palmyra entirely in the militants’ control, but Isis pledged to destroy only what it deemed idolatrous. Isis considers grave markers and statues symbols of paganism that ought to be destroyed, according to its puritanical version of Islam. | The regime’s withdrawal left Palmyra entirely in the militants’ control, but Isis pledged to destroy only what it deemed idolatrous. Isis considers grave markers and statues symbols of paganism that ought to be destroyed, according to its puritanical version of Islam. |
| The temple of Baal Shamin was built in the first century AD, a house of worship dedicated to the Phoenician god of storms and the sky, who evolved into a major deity worshipped during the time of Queen Zenobia and her husband Septimius Odaenathus, the King of Kings of Palmyra. | The temple of Baal Shamin was built in the first century AD, a house of worship dedicated to the Phoenician god of storms and the sky, who evolved into a major deity worshipped during the time of Queen Zenobia and her husband Septimius Odaenathus, the King of Kings of Palmyra. |
| Its columns carried Greek and Palmyrian inscriptions and it once contained statues of the rich and wealthy patrons of the city. | Its columns carried Greek and Palmyrian inscriptions and it once contained statues of the rich and wealthy patrons of the city. |
| Amr al-Azm, the former head of Syria’s conservation laboratories, said Baal Shamin, as well as the rest of Palmyra, was of “tremendous importance”. The city’s sprawling colonnades and Tetrapylon remain, while Isis has repurposed its amphitheatre, using it to stage mass executions of its enemies. | Amr al-Azm, the former head of Syria’s conservation laboratories, said Baal Shamin, as well as the rest of Palmyra, was of “tremendous importance”. The city’s sprawling colonnades and Tetrapylon remain, while Isis has repurposed its amphitheatre, using it to stage mass executions of its enemies. |