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ISIS Beheads Palmyra Archaeologist, Kalid alAsa’ad

The archaeologist, Kalid alAsa’ad, who looked after ancient ruins of Palmyra in Syria is reported to have been killed by Islamic State (ISIS) militants. AlAsa’ad, … Continue reading ISIS Beheads Palmyra Archaeologist, Kalid alAsa’ad


alasa'adThe archaeologist, Kalid alAsa’ad, who looked after ancient ruins of Palmyra in Syria is reported to have been killed by Islamic State (ISIS) militants.

AlAsa’ad, a university professor and the former General Manager for antiquities and museums in Palmyra, was beheaded on Tuesday in the city’s public square.

He was taken hostage by the group after it seized the UNESCO World Heritage site earlier this year.

Mr alAsa’ad had spent more than 50 years working on Palmyra.

He was head of antiquities at the ruins, one of the archaeological jewels of the Middle East.

ISIS, whose insurgents control swathes of Syria and Iraq, captured Palmyra in central Syria from government forces in May, but are not known to have damaged its monumental Roman-era ruins despite their reputation for destroying artifacts they view as idolatrous under their puritanical interpretation of Islam.

Before the city’s capture by ISIS, Syrian officials said they moved hundreds of ancient statues to safe locations out of concern they would be destroyed by the militants.

In June, ISIS did blow up two ancient shrines in Palmyra that were not part of its Roman-era structures but which the militants regarded as pagan and sacrilegious.