Continuing the actions of the group known as the Islamic State (ISIS) in destroying pre-Islamic archaeological sites in Iraq, the Iraqi Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced on Saturday, March 6, that it has received reports of the destruction of the remains of the ancient city of Hatra, or Al-Hadr, from the Parthian period in northern Iraq. According to Reuters, sources from the Iraqi Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities stated that employees in the city of Mosul reported that on Saturday, Islamic State forces destroyed the ancient city of Hatra. However, the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities of Iraq stated that it cannot confirm these reports as it has not yet received images of this action by the Islamic State group. Meanwhile, residents near the site of the ancient city of Hatra told Reuters that they heard a loud explosion near the archaeological site on Saturday morning, and several others reported the destruction of buildings and large structures in this ancient city by Islamic State forces. The city of Hatra, or Al-Hadr, is located in the Nineveh province of Iraq, 150 kilometers southwest of Mosul, and is from the Parthian period. According to AFP, the archaeological site of Hatra is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. While the news of the destruction of Hatra has been published, reports from last week indicated that Islamic State forces used bulldozers to destroy the archaeological sites of the city of Nimrud, which belonged to the Assyrian period. The city of Nimrud is one of the jewels of Assyrian civilization, built in the 13th century BC near the Tigris River, located 30 kilometers from Mosul. The destruction of the archaeological sites of Nimrud in Iraq by the group known as the Islamic State led to a wave of international condemnation. The United Nations called this act a 'war crime.' A week after militants affiliated with the Islamic State (formerly ISIS) destroyed the Mosul Museum and set its library on fire, the Iraqi Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced on Thursday that this extremist group had destroyed the archaeological sites of the city of Nimrud.
Islamic State Forces Destroy Ancient City of Hatra
Islamic State forces have reportedly destroyed the ancient city of Hatra in Iraq, a UNESCO World Heritage site. This follows previous reports of the destruction of Nimrud, another significant archaeological site, leading to international condemnation. The ongoing destruction of Iraq's cultural heritage raises concerns about the impact of extremist groups on historical sites.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
Islamic State forces have reportedly destroyed the ancient city of Hatra, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Iraq. This follows earlier reports of the destruction of the archaeological site of Nimrud, raising alarms about the ongoing assault on Iraq's cultural heritage.
- Hatra is from the Parthian period and is located in Nineveh province, Iraq.
- The destruction of Hatra comes after the demolition of Nimrud, another significant archaeological site.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
ISIS has targeted archaeological sites in Iraq as part of its extremist ideology, viewing pre-Islamic heritage as un-Islamic. The destruction of these sites has drawn widespread condemnation from the international community.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
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