 Islamic State destroys part of another ancient Palmyra temple August 31, 2015 - 10:35 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The Islamic State (IS) militant group has destroyed part of another temple at the ancient Syrian site of Palmyra, activists and witnesses say, according to BBC News. The extent of the damage to the Temple of Bel is not clear but residents have described a large explosion. A week ago IS published images of what appeared to be the destruction of another part of the site, the Temple of Baalshamin. IS seized control of Palmyra in May, sparking fears for the site. The temple was dedicated to the Palmyrene gods and was one of the best preserved parts of the site. The modern city of Palmyra - known locally as Tadmur - is situated in a strategically important area on the road between the Syrian capital, Damascus, and the eastern city of Deir al-Zour. The ancient city was a major cultural centres and is a Unesco World Heritage site. Unesco has condemned the deliberate destruction of Syria's cultural heritage as a war crime. IS has ransacked and demolished several similar sites that predate Islam in Iraq, seeing them as symbols of "idolatry". As well as destroying parts of the ruins at Palmyra, IS has used the site's theatre to stage the public execution by children of more than 20 captured Syrian army soldiers. Photo: Getty Images   Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads.   Partner news |  Latest news Erdogan wants “realistic road map” for relations with Armenia  Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called for a “new realistic road map” for relations with Armenia.Armenia-Azerbaijan: Experts launch work on determining coordinates Expert groups from the countries started the process of determining the coordinates based on geodetic measurements.Yerevan says did not expect CSTO in peacekeeping role Pashinyan has declared that the CSTO would be expected to come to the Armenia-Azerbaijan border as an ally of ArmeniaHenrikh Mkhitaryan wins Serie A title with Inter Inter Milan midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan admits that the team have long been imagining clinching Serie A against AC Milan. |
