A general view shows the temple of Baal Shamin in the historical city of Palmyra, Syria October 22, 2009. PHOTO: REUTERS
"Satellite imagery shows that archaeological sites in Syria are dotted by hundreds of illegal excavations... that show there is looting on an industrial scale," Irina Bokova said in Sofia.
On September 4, Syria’s antiquities chief had said the Islamic State blew up three ancient tower tombs in the UNESCO-listed Syrian city of Palmyra built between the years 44 and 103 AD, having also destroyed two ancient temples at the site in central Syria in the last few weeks.
In August, the Islamic State militants blew up the ancient temple of Baal Shamin in Palmyra, an official had said, the latest in a series of cultural relics to be destroyed by the terrorist group.
Famed for well-preserved Greco-Roman ruins, Palmyra was seized from government forces in May, fuelling fears the IS terrorists might destroy its priceless heritage as it had done in other parts of Syria and Iraq.
IS’s harsh version of Islam considers statues and grave markers to be idolatrous, and the group has destroyed antiquities and heritage sites in territory under its control in Syria and Iraq.
Syria’s war, which began in March 2011 with anti-regime protests, has spiralled into a multi-front conflict that has killed more than 240,000 people.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ