ISIS beheads elderly antiquities scholar in Palmyra
The 82-year-old Khaled Asaad was known for several scholarly works on the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra
Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) militants beheaded an antiquities scholar in the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra and hung his body on a column in a main square of the historic site, Syria’s antiquities chief said on Tuesday.
ISIS, whose insurgents control swathes of Syria and Iraq, captured Palmyra in central Syria from government forces in May, but are not known to have damaged its monumental Roman-era ruins despite their reputation for destroying artifacts they view as idolatrous under their puritanical interpretation of Islam.
Syrian state antiquities chief Maamoun Abdulkarim said the family of Khaled Asaad had informed him that the 82-year-old scholar who worked for over 50 years as head of antiquities in Palmyra was executed by ISIS on Tuesday.
Asaad had been detained and interrogated for over a month by the ultra-radical Sunni Muslim militants, he told Reuters.
“Just imagine that such a scholar who gave such memorable services to the place and to history would be beheaded ... and his corpse still hanging from one of the ancient columns in the center of a square in Palmyra,” Abdulkarim said.
“The continued presence of these criminals in this city is a curse and bad omen on (Palmyra) and every column and every archaeological piece in it.”
Abdulkarim said Asaad was known for several scholarly works published in international archaeological journals on Palmyra, which in antiquity flourished as an important trading hub along the Silk Road.
He also worked over the past few decades with U.S., French, German and Swiss archeological missions on excavations and research in Palmyra’s famed 2,000-year-old ruins, a UNESCO World Heritage Site including Roman tombs and the Temple of Bel.
Before the city’s capture by ISIS, Syrian officials said they moved hundreds of ancient statues to safe locations out of concern they would be destroyed by the militants.
In June, ISIS did blow up two ancient shrines in Palmyra that were not part of its Roman-era structures but which the militants regarded as pagan and sacrilegious.
-
Syrian city of Palmyra falls under ISIS
Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) insurgents stormed the historic Syrian city of Palmyra on Wednesday, fighting off pro-government forces who ... Perspective -
ISIS seizes key Syrian town in Homs
After heavy clashes with Assad forces, ISIS seizes Al-Qaryatain town, located along a road linking the ancient city of Palmyra Middle East -
Dozens of families flee regime strikes on Syria’s Palmyra
Human Rights chief: "Dozens of families have fled the town and headed to Raqa, Deir Ezzor and other areas under ISIS control in the Syrian desert." Middle East -
ISIS teens execute 25 soldiers in Syria’s Palmyra
The video documented an execution that reportedly happened shortly after the group captured the city on May 21 Middle East -
ISIS says it destroyed archaeological pieces from Palmyra
ISIS militants destroyed archaeological pieces from the historic town of Palmyra, they confiscated from a smuggler Middle East -
ISIS destroys mausoleums in Syria’s Palmyra
The extremist group also destroyed a number of tombstones at a cemetery for Palmyra residents Middle East -
Syrian army advances in ISIS-held Palmyra
ISIS overran Palmyra on May 21 amid global fears that it would destroy the UNESCO world heritage site’s renowned ruins Middle East -
ISIS militants plant mines and bombs in Palmyra
ISIS has planted mines and bombs in the ancient part of the central Syrian city of Palmyra Middle East -
ISIS razes notorious Syrian jail in Palmyra
ISIS supporters posted pictures on Twitter purporting to show the infamous prison being blown up Middle East -
ISIS ‘will not destroy’ Palmyra ruins, only statues
ISIS captured Palmyra – and Iraq’s Ramadi – earlier this month despite months of U.S.-led airstrikes Middle East