ISIS bent on blowing up historic sites in Anbar
An IS militant uses a sledgehammer to destroy a several thousand years old stone in the city of Nimrud.
Anbar (Iraqinews.com) Islamic State militants are planting explosives at historic sites in the province of Anbar preparing to demolish them, al-Hashd al-Shaabi leaderships there said.
ISIS militants have planted explosives on the Old Minaret in the town of Annah and other historic sites dating back to the 11th century, deeming them as promoting paganism, according to Nazem al-Jugheifi, intelligence official at the militia.
“The group ordered civilians to keep away from the historic minaret and other ancient sites in Annah until they are blown up,” said Jugheifi.
ISIS emerged to the light in 2014, occupying large areas of Iraq and proclaiming an “Islamic Caliphate”. Besides its extremist style of applying Islamic law to the daily lives of citizens at areas within its hold, the group considers sculptures as paganism. Its members had posted globally-circulated movies showing themselves axing down priceless monuments in the city of Mosul, but was later reported to sell out other antiquities in online auctions.
News reports last month depicted severe damage caused by the extremist group to Mosul’s ancient town of Nimrud after it was liberated by Iraqi forces.