Photos show IS blowing up ancient Palmyra temple in Syria
The Islamic State group on Tuesday posted photos to social media purporting to show their militants blowing up the nearly 2,000 year old Baal Shamin temple in Syria's world heritage site of Palmyra.
Photos showed IS militants placing explosives inside the temple and then detonating them, reducing the ancient Baal Shamin to rubble.
Syria's antiquities chief said on Sunday that IS had blown up Baal Shamin but it was only on Tuesday that the militant group released photos of the destruction.
UNESCO has accused IS of a war crime in blowing up Baal Shamin, which was built nearly 2,000 years ago as part of a Roman settlement and was viewed as a symbol of Syria's cultural and historical diversity.
IS seized control of Palmyra from government forces in May and have repeatedly threatened to destroy the ancient city.
New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch
Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters
Middle East Eye delivers independent and unrivalled coverage and analysis of the Middle East, North Africa and beyond. To learn more about republishing this content and the associated fees, please fill out this form. More about MEE can be found here.
