The Islamic State, or ISIS, has destroyed the Assyrian walls of Nineveh in Mosul, Iraq, according to a report on Thursday.
The walls date back to about 700 BC, when the ancient Assyrian civilization flourished in Iraq. Nineveh was the capital of the Assyrian and Neo-Assyrian empires, which fell in 605 BC.
The Assyrian International News Agency, citing “specialized sources,” reported that militants with ISIS destroyed “much of the historic city wall located on Tahrir neighborhood on the left coast of Mosul” on Tuesday. A historian living in Mosul made the discovery.
Tragic if true: jihadists destroy ancient walls of Nineveh in Iraq http://t.co/27xq3e6Di3 pic.twitter.com/RaHOhie2Iq
— Tim Stanley (@timothy_stanley) January 28, 2015
http://t.co/3YeuSsDsDO like naughty children they got to blow something up make them think they are still powerful, pic.twitter.com/EyQHLGsjYY
— IS is terrorist (@_ISisterrorist_) January 29, 2015
Militants blew up pieces of the wall with a large quantity of explosives, the report added.
Neither ISIS or the Iraqi government have confirmed the apparent destruction of the walls. Purported images of the damaged site were being shared on social media websites this week.
If confirmed, the move isn’t anything new for ISIS. The terrorist group has destroyed numerous historical sites, mosques, churches, and shrines across Syria and Iraq. At least 10 ancient Shia shrines have been destroyed by ISIS, according to Fox News.
In early January, there were reports saying ISIS had plans to destroy the walls of Nineveh. People living close to the walls in Mosul told MailOnline.com that ISIS was planning to attack the walls if the Iraqi army attacks.
