Isis militants have destroyed part of the Roman
amphitheatre in the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra
and its iconic tetrapylon, Syria’s state news agency
and activists from the city said.
amphitheatre in the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra
and its iconic tetrapylon, Syria’s state news agency
and activists from the city said.
The four-sided tetrapylon monument was one of the most famous
sites at Palmyra, a Unesco world heritage site that Isis recaptured
for the second time last month.
Syrian government forces, under the cover of Russian air power,
wrested back control of the city from Isis in March 2016,
but lost it again as they diverted their attention to rebels fighting
a near six-year war against President Bashar al-Assad.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based group,
said the historic sites were rigged with explosives 10 days earlier
and blown up during the past 48 hours.
Isis has previously destroyed historic treasures in Palmyra and
elsewhere in Syria. Irina Bokova, director-general of Unesco,
described the latest destruction as a “new war crime”.
“This new blow against cultural heritage, just a few hours
after Unesco received reports about mass executions in the theatre,
shows that cultural cleansing led by violent extremists is seeking
to destroy both human lives and historical monuments,”
Ms Bokova said.
sites at Palmyra, a Unesco world heritage site that Isis recaptured
for the second time last month.
Syrian government forces, under the cover of Russian air power,
wrested back control of the city from Isis in March 2016,
but lost it again as they diverted their attention to rebels fighting
a near six-year war against President Bashar al-Assad.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based group,
said the historic sites were rigged with explosives 10 days earlier
and blown up during the past 48 hours.
Isis has previously destroyed historic treasures in Palmyra and
elsewhere in Syria. Irina Bokova, director-general of Unesco,
described the latest destruction as a “new war crime”.
“This new blow against cultural heritage, just a few hours
after Unesco received reports about mass executions in the theatre,
shows that cultural cleansing led by violent extremists is seeking
to destroy both human lives and historical monuments,”
Ms Bokova said.
Backed by Russia and Iran, Mr Assad has made decisive gains
against rebels in recent months, but jihadi groups, including Isis,
still control large swaths of territory across northern and
eastern Syria. Unrest has been rising in northwestern parts
of the country, where an air strike hit the base of another
powerful Islamist group, Jabhat Fatah al-Sham (JFS), which
has links to al-Qaeda, killing at least 40 people, according
to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
Other Syrian activists say the death toll could be much higher,
and locals say there is an escalating assault on JFS.
The group was formerly known as Jabhat al-Nusra before it
disavowed its affiliation with al-Qaeda, a claim that international
powers and most local rebel groups discount as propaganda.
About 100 of its fighters have been killed this month,
with the group targeted by a US-led international coalition
that is fighting Isis and JSF.
against rebels in recent months, but jihadi groups, including Isis,
still control large swaths of territory across northern and
eastern Syria. Unrest has been rising in northwestern parts
of the country, where an air strike hit the base of another
powerful Islamist group, Jabhat Fatah al-Sham (JFS), which
has links to al-Qaeda, killing at least 40 people, according
to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
Other Syrian activists say the death toll could be much higher,
and locals say there is an escalating assault on JFS.
The group was formerly known as Jabhat al-Nusra before it
disavowed its affiliation with al-Qaeda, a claim that international
powers and most local rebel groups discount as propaganda.
About 100 of its fighters have been killed this month,
with the group targeted by a US-led international coalition
that is fighting Isis and JSF.
[...]
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