Islamic State Blows Up Largest Ancient Temple in the Middle East

According to reports, the group known as the "Islamic State" (ISIS) exploded or severely damaged the "Bel" temple, the largest ancient temple in the Middle East, located in the historic city of Palmyra, Syria, on Sunday, September 8. This is the second ancient temple in Syria that has been targeted by the Islamic State group in recent days. This extremist group had previously blown up the ancient "Baal Shamin" temple in Palmyra on September 3. UNESCO described this act as a "war crime" aimed at destroying symbols and cultural artifacts of Syria. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has reported that Islamic State militants detonated explosives at the "Bel" temple, one of the most important ancient structures in the historic city of Palmyra. According to this organization, which is based in London but is connected with a network of eyewitnesses inside Syria, the extent of the damage to this ancient temple is still unclear. ISIS militants, who captured vast areas of Iraq and Syria last summer in a sudden offensive, took control of the historic city of Palmyra from Syrian government forces about seven months ago. Syrians refer to the city of Palmyra as "Tadmur." The "Bel" temple is considered the largest ancient temple in the Middle East, dating back to the 1st century AD. This temple was built in 32 AD on the ruins of another temple made of mudbrick. In the 2nd century AD, the construction of this temple was completed and dedicated to the god "Baal." This temple was a gathering place for the lords of Palmyra. The "Bel" temple was destroyed during the war between Palmyra and Rome in 272 AD and after the Palmyrene revolt in 273 AD. When Christianity spread in the region during the early Byzantine period, the structure of the temple was converted into a church, the remnants of which remained until modern times. With the arrival of Islam in the region, the temple became a military fortress and its church was turned into a mosque. This situation continued until 1930. About a hundred years ago, the inhabitants of Palmyra lived in the temple building due to fears of attacks from Bedouins until they were transferred to a new city built for them in 1932. Khaled al-Asaad, a Syrian archaeologist who protected the antiquities of Palmyra, was killed by Islamic State militants last month at the age of 82, and his body was hung on one of the city’s columns. Islamic State militants have destroyed many antiquities in the areas they control, including the historic city of "Nimrud" in Iraq. In this context, the Islamic State executed 91 people in Syria last month.