This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/01/world/middleeast/isis-militants-severely-damage-temple-of-baal-in-palmyra.html

The article has changed 9 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 6 Version 7
U.N. Confirms Destruction of Temple of Baal by ISIS U.N. Confirms Destruction of Temple of Baal by ISIS
(35 minutes later)
BEIRUT, Lebanon — After a day of conflicting reports about the extent of damage that Islamic State militants had inflicted on the Temple of Baal in the ancient city of Palmyra, Syria, a United Nations agency confirmed Monday that the structure had been largely destroyed. BEIRUT, Lebanon — After a day of conflicting reports about the extent of damage that Islamic State militants had inflicted on the Temple of Baal in the ancient city of Palmyra, Syria, a United Nations agency said late Monday that satellite images confirmed that the structure had been largely destroyed.
Satellite images released by the United Nations training and research agency Unitar in Geneva showed that the main temple building and a row of columns had been flattened. The explosion Sunday was the militants’ second attack on the world-renowned ruins in a week. The primary temple building, nearly 2,000 years old, was flattened, according to the satellite images, taken Monday and released by the United Nations training and research agency Unitar, based in Geneva.
As local activists and antiquities experts scrambled Monday to determine what had happened, all agreed that the blast had damaged the best-preserved structure of the temple, a stone building that included the altar. “We can confirm destruction of the main building of the Temple of Bel as well as a row of columns in its immediate vicinity,” the agency said in a statement sent to members of the news media, using a different transliteration for the temple.
Some experts had clung to optimism by saying the extent of the damage was still unclear, while residents and activists said reports indicated severe damage. As local activists and antiquities experts scrambled Monday to assess what had happened, all agreed that an explosion at the site on Sunday had damaged the best-preserved structure of the temple, a stone building that included the altar. Some experts had clung to optimism by saying the extent of the harm to the ruins was unclear, while residents and activists said reports had indicated severe damage.
Maamoun Abdulkarim, the director of Syria’s antiquities department, had said he thought the main building had remained standing, nonetheless calling any damage a loss. Maamoun Abdulkarim, the director of Syria’s antiquities department, said earlier in the day that he thought the main building remained standing, nonetheless calling any damage a loss.
“It’s not a political battle, but this is a cultural battle, and everybody should participate in defending this heritage, this civilization,” he said.“It’s not a political battle, but this is a cultural battle, and everybody should participate in defending this heritage, this civilization,” he said.
The damage to the nearly 2,000-year-old Temple of Baal came just a week after the militants, who have held the Palmyra ruins and the modern city with the same name for three months, destroyed another important ancient building there, the nearby Temple of Baalshamin. The attack on the Temple of Baal came a week after the militants, who have held the Palmyra ruins and the modern city with the same name for three months, destroyed another ancient building there, the nearby Temple of Baalshamin.
The Temple of Baal was an even grander structure, with a towering altar building on a platform of large stone blocks at the center of a larger plaza encircled by columns and partial walls.The Temple of Baal was an even grander structure, with a towering altar building on a platform of large stone blocks at the center of a larger plaza encircled by columns and partial walls.
“It is not as huge as the damage at Baalshamin,” Mr. Abdulkarim said.“It is not as huge as the damage at Baalshamin,” Mr. Abdulkarim said.
Khaled al-Homsi, an antigovernment activist and Palmyra native who recently fled to Turkey but remains in close contact with residents of the city, accused Mr. Abdulkarim of trying to play down the damage. Mr. Homsi said that much of the structure had been knocked down, including a portico of eight columns just outside its walls and the altar inside. Khaled al-Homsi, an antigovernment activist and Palmyra native who recently fled to Turkey, accused Mr. Abdulkarim of trying to play down the damage. Mr. Homsi, who remains in close contact with residents of the city, said much of the structure had been knocked down, including a portico of eight columns just outside its walls and the altar inside.
Mr. Homsi’s uncle, Khalid al-Asaad, 83, a former antiquities director in Palmyra, was killed by the militants two weeks ago, his body suspended from a traffic light. His uncle Khalid al-Asaad, 83, a former antiquities director in Palmyra, was killed by the militants two weeks ago, his body suspended from a traffic light.
Consecrated in A.D. 32 to the Semitic god Baal, the temple — also known as the Temple of Bel, a different transliteration of the god’s name — is considered one of the most important sites in Palmyra. It was a relatively intact example of the fusion of Middle Eastern, Greek and Roman influences. Consecrated in A.D. 32 to the Semitic god Baal, the temple is considered one of the most important sites in Palmyra. It was a relatively intact example of the fusion of Middle Eastern, Greek and Roman influences.
In modern times, the Temple of Baal has also been a cultural touchstone for Syrians. It has been a backdrop for concerts in the annual Palmyra Music Festival, as the ancient amphitheater has been more recently for Islamic State executions. In modern times, the Temple of Baal has also been a cultural touchstone for Syrians. It was a backdrop for concerts in the annual Palmyra Music Festival, as the ancient amphitheater has been more recently for Islamic State executions.
The ancient city of Palmyra, which stands in the desert about 150 miles northeast of Damascus, is a Unesco World Heritage site.The ancient city of Palmyra, which stands in the desert about 150 miles northeast of Damascus, is a Unesco World Heritage site.
The Islamic State has widely publicized images of its fighters blowing up tombs and destroying statues that it considers blasphemous under its extremist interpretation of Islam. Archaeologists and antiquities experts consider the losses to be irreparable, leading some to feel, as Mr. Abdulkarim said last week, “very weak, very pessimistic.” The Islamic State has widely publicized images of its fighters blowing up tombs and destroying statues that it considers blasphemous. Archaeologists and antiquities experts consider the losses irreparable, leading some to feel, as Mr. Abdulkarim said last week, “very weak, very pessimistic.”
On Monday, he added that among Syria’s many archaeological treasures, the Temple of Baal had special significance for him. “I visited the temple during the crisis,” he said, “and I took many pictures with my daughter, which is something I rarely do.”On Monday, he added that among Syria’s many archaeological treasures, the Temple of Baal had special significance for him. “I visited the temple during the crisis,” he said, “and I took many pictures with my daughter, which is something I rarely do.”
He added, “It was an honor to stand in front of this great place.”He added, “It was an honor to stand in front of this great place.”