Islamic State blows up tower tombs in Syria’s Palmyra: antiquities chief

Islamic State has blown up three ancient tower tombs in the city of Palmyra, Syria’s antiquities chief said on Friday, continuing the destruction of a World Heritage site that UNESCO has condemned as a war crime. The militants, who have already destroyed two Roman-era temples in the city, blew up the tombs from between the years 44 and 103 AD, Maamun Abdulkarim said. He cited sources in Palmyra who confirmed the destruction of the tombs including that of Elahbel, built in 103 AD, which was one of the best preserved and stood four storeys high and had an underground floor.

We received reports 10 days ago but we’ve just confirmed the news. We obtained satellite images from the US-based Syrian Heritage Initiative, taken on September 2.

Antiquities director Maamun Abdulkarim

Islamic State, which has declared a caliphate in land it holds across Syria and Iraq, captured Palmyra from Syrian government control in May. The group has carried out several mass killings in places it has taken over and destroyed monuments it considers sacrilegious, publishing photographs or videos of its actions.

Arts Palmyra