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Palmyra

Islamic State releases photos of how it blew up historic temple

Palmyra’s was destroyed by the group at the weekend.

Updated 3.53 pm

JIHADISTS FROM THE Islamic State blew up a 2,000-year-old temple in Syria on Sunday, continuing the group’s attacks on heritage sites.

Famed for its well-preserved Greco-Roman ruins, Palmyra was seized from government forces in May, prompting concerns IS might destroy it as it has done with heritage sites in parts of Syria and Iraq under its control.

Until Sunday, most of Palmyra’s best-known sites had been left intact, though there were reports IS had mined them and the group reportedly destroyed a well-known statue of a lion outside the city’s museum.

Islamic State have released a series of photographs that they they say demonstrates how the blew up the site.

In the images, militants can be seen carrying the explosives into the site and placing them beside the walls and the columns of the ancient temple before they are detonated.

The images have not been independently verified  but were released like other group propaganda and carried a logo it often used in the city of Palmyra.

Haaretz.com / YouTube

Tourists had called Palmyra “a gem”, “impressive” and “an amazing experience”.

This is what will now be lost - the ancient temple of Baal Shamin.

Palmyra - تدمر J_Llanos J_Llanos

Cella del templo de Baal Shamin Palmira (Siria) annasoror annasoror

Temple of Baal Shamin upyernoz upyernoz

Palmyra, in its entirety, is also under threat. And, for the moment, is a no-go zone.

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5348543048_a8f2899850_z Varun Shiv Kapur Varun Shiv Kapur

1319545865_b040d275da_z Alper Çuğun Alper Çuğun

2599961959_b978a72257_z reibai reibai

5347927185_52b69a3e16_z Varun Shiv Kapur Varun Shiv Kapur

28. Palmyra - Temple of Baal Shamin jrwebbe jrwebbe

Palmyra reibai reibai

Palmyra reibai reibai

See more here.

The head of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, said last Friday that Islamic State extremists in Syria and Iraq are engaged in the “most brutal, systematic” destruction of ancient sites since World War II — a stark warning that came hours after militants demolished the St. Elian Monastery, which housed a fifth-century tomb and served as a major pilgrimage site. The monastery was in the town of Qaryatain in central Syria.

Read: 2,000-year-old temple blown up by Islamic State group

Read: ISIS has beheaded the 82-year-old retired director of this UNESCO heritage site

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