UNESCO Heritage Temple in Palmyra Blown Up by IS

The UNESCO world heritage site, Palmyra’s ancient temple of Baalshamin, has been blown by Islamic State militants.

There are discrepancies on the exact date on which the temple was blown up. According to Syria’s head of antiquities; the temple was blown up on Sunday. However, the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that it happened one month ago. There are several other Heritage Sites that have been demolished by the militant group in Iraq.

Huge quantities of explosives were placed in the temple of Baalshamin and the temple was blown causing damage to most of the ancient work inside the temple. The areas that were completely destroyed were the Cella inner area of the temple and the columns.

The explosives were planted in the temple a month ago. Residents who had fled from Palmyra have said. The famous Greco-Roman ruins of Palmyra attract much tourist curiosity.

The temple was built about 2,000 years ago and was primarily a Roman era artifact. The temple was dedicated to the Phoenician god of storms and fertilizing rains. The IS had revealed some destroyed relics of artifacts looted from the temple last month.

An archaeologist who was looking after the Palmyra’s ruins for four decades was also found beheaded last month by the Militant group as he had refused to divulge to the group the secret of some hidden treasures.

The shrine is located on the road between the Syrian capital, Damascus, and the eastern city of Deir al-Zour. Most monumental sites of the ancient city rise from the desert and this place is considered an important cultural center of the ancient world by UNESCO.

The IS has been responsible in destroying many historic sites. They had ransacked the central library in the Iraqi city of Mosul burning thousands of books, destroyed ancient artifacts at the central museum in Mosul. One of greatest archaeological treasure, Nimrud, was destroyed by explosives and bulldozers.