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Islamic extremists destroy another world heritage site

According to the United Nations Education, scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), ISIS has again intentionally destroyed a world heritage site. The latest victim is Palmyra’s ancient temple of Baalshamin. Palmyra fell to ISIS in May.

In addition to the destruction of the temple itself, ISIS personnel murdered archaeologist Khaled Assad and Assistant Director of antiquities Qassem Abdullah Yehiya.

In a statement, UNESCO director-general Irina Bokova said  “I am both saddened and outraged to learn of the brutal murder of Khaled Asaad, who oversaw antiquities at the UNESCO World Heritage site at Palmyra “In no uncertain terms I condemn this horrific act.”

UNESCO sources noted that the 82-year old archaeologist had been recently killed at the site, where he had worked for more than 50 years. Asaad had been held for more than a month and, according to reports, was being questioned about the location of valuable artefacts.

The U.N organization noted that “They killed him because he would not betray his deep commitment to Palmyra. Here is where he dedicated his life, revealing Palmyra’s precious history and interpreting it so that we could learn from this great city that was a crossroads of the ancient world. His work will live on far beyond the reach of these extremists. They murdered a great man, but they will never silence history.”

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A study of the ISIS practice by the National Geographic organization quoted an ISIS fighter who proclaimed “Whenever we take control of a piece of land, we remove the symbols of polytheism and spread monotheism in it.” The article also quotes PHD candidate Christopher Jones, who is studying the ISIS practice. Jones believes the basis of ISIS’s practice is eliminating “…sins of shirk, or idolatry…The Islamic State’s notion of shirk not only applies to pre-Islamic sites like Nimrud, but also any Islamic heritage that does not follow their strict Sunni interpretation of Islam, as well as sites belonging to the region’s religious minorities, including Yazidis, Kurds, and Christians.”

However, in an RT interview Dr. Stephennie Mulder, an associate professor of Islamic Art at the University of Texas at Austin, said the Islamic State’s videotaping of the destruction of ancient artifacts in Iraq and Syria is an act of propaganda. “This is a propaganda video that is intended as an act of heritage terror. [ISIS] know this kind of action will cause alarm in the international community,…It demonstrates their mastery over everything. Their mastery over the past and it has a deep impact on the people of Iraq as well who cherish these objects.”

Bipartisan Legislation has been introduced in the U.S. Congress to protect historic sites across the globe and prevention imports of illegal related items from Syria.

The elimination of key parts of human history has become a habit of Islamic extremists.  In 2001 Mullah Mohammed Omar ordered his Taliban forces to destroy the venerable Buddhas of Bamiyan statues.