Fears mount for Iraqi heritage after Daesh museum rampage

Unesco chief seeks emergency meeting of Security Council following ‘intolerable’ demolitions in Mosul

Archaeologists expressed fears yesterday that after ransacking the Mosul museum in Iraq, Daesh militants would embark on a systematic destruction of heritage in areas under their control.

Particularly at risk are the ancient cities of Hatra, a Unesco World Heritage site, and Nimrud. Both are south of Mosul, which has been the militants’ main hub in Iraq since June last year.

“This is not the end of the story and the international community must intervene,” said Abdul Amir Hamdani, an Iraqi archaeologist at New York’s Stony Brook University.

Daesh released a video on Thursday showing its militants smashing ancient statues to pieces with sledgehammers at the Mosul museum.

They were also seen using a jackhammer to deface a colossal Assyrian winged bull at the Nergal gate in the large archaeological park that lies in the city.

“They told the guards they would destroy Nimrud,” said Hamdani, who used to be based in Iraq with the department of antiquities… This would be a real disaster,” he said by telephone from the US.

“Maybe they will also attack and destroy Hatra, it is a very isolated site in the desert.”

Hatra is a Unesco-listed site that lies in Daesh-controlled territory around 100km southwest of Mosul.

Unesco says the “remains of the city, especially the temples where Hellenistic and Roman architecture blend with Eastern decorative features, attest to the greatness of its civilisation.”

“I am afraid more destruction is in their pipeline,” said Ihsan Fethi, an Iraqi architect and heritage expert based in Jordan.

Unesco chief Irina Bokova said on Thursday she had sought an emergency meeting of the Security Council following the demolitions in Mosul, which she called “intolerable.”