UNESCO condemns IS destruction of Syria's Palmyra antiquities

July 04, 2015 04:06

UNESCO has condemned the destruction by Islamic State group jihadists of antiquities in the Syrian city of Palmyra, describing it as an attempt to strip the people of their heritage in order "to enslave them".

"These new destructions of cultural goods of the site of Palmyra reflect the brutality and ignorance of extremist groups and their disregard of local communities and of the Syrian people," UNESCO director-general, Irina Bokova said yesterday.

Among the antiquities destroyed was the Lion Statue of Athena -- a unique piece of more than 3 metres high that stood outside a museum, which was smashed Saturday, Bokova said.

The limestone statue was discovered in 1977 by a Polish archaeological mission at the temple of Al-Lat, a pre-Islamic Arabian goddess, and dated back to the 1st century BC.

Bokova also expressed outrage at the destruction of funerary busts of Palmyra, a renowned UNESCO World Heritage site captured by IS on May 21.

"The destruction of funerary busts of Palmyra in a public square, in front of crowds and children asked to witness the looting of their heritage is especially perverse," she said.

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