ISIS Destroys Another Temple in Syria, but in Parts

ISIS has destroyed parts of the Temple of Bel, the oldest in Syria’s Palmyra. The extent of damage is not yet known.

General view of the Temple of Bel in the historical city of Palmyra which was destroyed by the ISIS. (Photo: Reuters)

The Islamic State has destroyed parts of an ancient temple in Syria’s Palmyra city, a group monitoring the conflict said on Sunday.

The militants targeted the Temple of Bel, a Roman-era structure in the central desert city, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

The extent of the damage was not known, the Observatory said, citing its contacts on the ground.

Activists on social media also reported the destruction at the temple, one of Palmyra’s most important structures.

Islamic State seized Palmyra in May from government forces in a sudden offensive and is tightly controlling communications in the city, according to activists.

The group, which has proclaimed a caliphate in territory it holds across Syria and Iraq, has regularly demolished monuments it considers sacrilegious as well as carrying out mass killings.

This month, the group beheaded the 82-year-old Syrian archaeologist who had looked after Palmyra’s ruins for four decades, and hung his body in public, according to Syria’s antiquities chief.