The Islamic State radicals have blown up the Arch of Triumph located in the ancient city of Palmyra in Syria, the head of antiquities of the country announced on Monday. The extremists aim to pursue and continue their campaign of destroying heritage sites all over Syria and Iraq. They beheaded the 82-year-old antiquities chief of Palmyra in August.
"This is a systematic destruction of the city. They want to raze it completely," said Maamun Abdulkarim, Syria's antiquities director, Agence France-Presse reported. "They want to destroy the amphitheater, the colonnade. We now fear for the entire city." He is now calling the attention of the whole world so they can "find a way to save Palmyra."
IS extremists have previously demolished two ancient temples in the areas tagged as cultural centers of the ancient world by UNESCO.
IS blows up tower tombs at Syria's Palmyra: Reports https://t.co/jutfUO1xUX via @MiddleEastEye pic.twitter.com/iOXLLRV3W1
— KAKAPO➤endangered (@178kakapo) September 28, 2015
"The Arch of Triumph was pulverised. IS has destroyed it," Palmyra activist Mohammad Hassan al-Homsi said to AFP, BBC reported.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed the tragic event based on their sources.
The IS militant regard these temples as ancient relics that support idolatry and destroys these ancient temples to totally obliterate paganism. Upon the destruction of these ancient sites, they are able to acquire antiques which are believed to be sold for hefty amounts, Fox News reported.
The destruction of cultural artifacts and temples is regarded as a war crime and has added worldwide outrage against ISIS.
UNESCO considers these cultural tragedies as an "intolerable crime against civilization."
