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| Islamic State 'blows up Palmyra arch' | Islamic State 'blows up Palmyra arch' |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Islamic State militants in northern Syria have blown up another monument in the ancient city of Palmyra, officials and local sources say. | Islamic State militants in northern Syria have blown up another monument in the ancient city of Palmyra, officials and local sources say. |
| The Arch of Triumph was "pulverised" by the militants who control the city, a Palmyra activist told AFP news agency. | The Arch of Triumph was "pulverised" by the militants who control the city, a Palmyra activist told AFP news agency. |
| It is thought to have been built about 2,000 years ago. | It is thought to have been built about 2,000 years ago. |
| IS fighters have already destroyed two ancient temples at the site, described by Unesco as one of the most important cultural centres of the ancient world. | IS fighters have already destroyed two ancient temples at the site, described by Unesco as one of the most important cultural centres of the ancient world. |
| "The Arch of Triumph was pulverised. IS has destroyed it," Mohammad Hassan al-Homsi, an activist from Palmyra told AFP on Monday. | "The Arch of Triumph was pulverised. IS has destroyed it," Mohammad Hassan al-Homsi, an activist from Palmyra told AFP on Monday. |
| The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a group monitoring the conflict, said sources on the ground had confirmed the destruction. | |
| Syrian antiquities chief Maamoun Abdulkarim also confirmed the news, and told Reuters news agency that if IS remains in control of Palmyra, "the city is doomed". | Syrian antiquities chief Maamoun Abdulkarim also confirmed the news, and told Reuters news agency that if IS remains in control of Palmyra, "the city is doomed". |
| Ancient city of Palmyra | Ancient city of Palmyra |
| IS threat to 'Venice of the Sands' | IS threat to 'Venice of the Sands' |
| History's lesson in how to save artefacts | History's lesson in how to save artefacts |
| Understanding sadness at loss of sites | Understanding sadness at loss of sites |
| Why IS destroys ancient sites | Why IS destroys ancient sites |
| Unesco's director general Irina Bokova has said the destruction constitutes a "war crime" and called on the international community to stand united against IS efforts to "deprive the Syrian people of its knowledge, its identity and history". | Unesco's director general Irina Bokova has said the destruction constitutes a "war crime" and called on the international community to stand united against IS efforts to "deprive the Syrian people of its knowledge, its identity and history". |
| IS believes shrines or statues represent idolatry, and should be destroyed. | |
| In August, the group destroyed the ancient Temple of Baalshamin - one of the city's best-known buildings built nearly 2,000 years ago. | |
| The group has also published photos of militants destroying what it said were artefacts looted at Palmyra. | The group has also published photos of militants destroying what it said were artefacts looted at Palmyra. |
| IS militants captured the historic site from Syrian government troops in May, amid a series of setbacks for forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad. | |
| Last week, Russia, one of Mr Assad's key backers, launched air strikes in Syria, saying it was targeting IS and other extremist groups. | |
| But members of the US-led coalition that has also been carrying out air strikes in Syria have strongly criticised the move, saying Russia appeared to be targeting more moderate anti-Assad rebels than IS. | |
| Turkey, one of the countries to criticise Russia's intervention, said it had intercepted a Russian warplane on Saturday in Turkish airspace, and had summoned the Russian ambassador in protest. | |
| Syria's conflict, which began in 2011, has left more than 250,000 dead and about half the country's population displaced. |