In 2015, militants of the Islamic State blew up an ancient monument in Palmyra in Syria, built almost 2,000 years ago, the temple of Baalshamin, the Phoenician god of storms.
UNESCO said in a statement that this is a huge loss for Syrians and humanity. ISIS seized the ancient city in May of this year, which sparked great concern around the world for its cultural heritage. Palmira is located in central Syria, about 200 km northeast of Damascus. The city, known today as Tadmur, experienced its greatest boom in the 2nd and 3rd centuries CE. The Greek-Roman ruins in the city are on the UNESCO World Heritage List. According to Islamists, ancient monuments before the rise of Islam are a manifestation of polytheism and a symbol of heresy. Importantly, Islamic militants make it clear that all temples and statues indicating the existence of other deities will be destroyed.
A week earlier, the word spread about the beheading of the archaeologist Khaled al-Asaad, who looked after the ruins of Palmira.
