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Photos show IS destruction of Syrian temple

August 25, 2015

Before-and-after pictures show the 1,800-year-old Roman structure in Palmyra being blown up and then lying in ruins. The militant group has destroyed several ancient structures in Syria and Iraq over the past year.

https://p.dw.com/p/1GLKx
Baal Shamin temple in Palmyra, Syria
Image: picture alliance/AP Photo

"Islamic State" militants have published several photos showing the destruction of a Roman-era temple in the central Syrian city of Palmyra.

The five images of the ancient Baal Shamin temple were uploaded to Social Media on Tuesday. However, DW can't independently verify their authenticity.

The pictures purport to show explosives being carried inside the ancient building, being set around its walls, then being detonated, and the rubble that's left afterwards. The temple was blown up on Sunday, according to Syrian officials.

Baal Shamin temple in Palmyra, Syria
The temple had stood since the second century BC and was rebuilt in 131 ADImage: Reuters/Stringer

The United Nations' culture agency UNESCO has branded its destruction as a "war crime." UNESCO's Director-General Irina Bokova described the structure as "a symbol of the complexity and wealth of the Syrian identity and history." She called on the international community to "stand united" against "persistent cultural cleansing."

Syria's antiquities chief Maamoun Abdulkarim said the temple was a "beautiful tourist attraction" which had "stood as it was for more than 1,800 years."

IS captured Palmyra, which lies in Homs province, in May from Syrian government forces. Its seizure was immediately condemned, as the city's ruins are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Baal Shamin temple in Palmyra, Syria
IS militants are shown purportedly carrying a barrel of explosives into the Roman-era templeImage: picture alliance/Kyodo

So far, Palmyra's ancient amphitheater has been spared, although the Roman structure has been used to carry out killings, often filmed for propaganda purposes.

Last week, the militant group beheaded Khaled al-Asaad, the 82-year-old Syrian archaeologist who had managed the city's ruins for four decades.

It is believed he was interrogated for a month in an attempt to get him to reveal where Syrian authorities had moved hidden treasures.

Syrien Tempel Baal Shamin in Palmyra Sprengung
Rubble is purportedly all that's left of the temple in Palmyra, a UNESCO World Heritage SiteImage: picture alliance/Kyodo

Over the past few months, the jihadist group has destroyed or plundered several ancient structures in Iraq, Syria and Libya.

Much of the vandalism has been used as a propaganda tool, with videos and photos documenting the damage. But many historic artifacts are believed to have been smuggled and sold to fund its activities.

On Friday, IS militants bulldozed the St. Elian Monastery in central Syria, parts of which were 1,500 years old.

mm/jil (AP, Reuters)