ISIS takes a sledgehammer to civilization once again: Activists caught smuggling Palmyra statues to safety are lashed - then forced to destroy priceless antiquities in front of a baying crowd

 Activists forced to smash up statues after ISIS militants discovered them

 The activist was also publicly flogged for trying to save the statues 

 ISIS have previously destroyed countless statues in Mosul Museum 

New photos have emerged of ISIS destroying a number of historic statues from the ancient archaeological site of Palmyra in Syria. 

An activist had been attempting to smuggle the statues out of Palmyra only for the statues to be uncovered when he was caught by the militant group.

As punishment for his crime, pictures show the activist being publicly flogged after being forced to use a hammer to destroy the statues he had been trying to save from ISIS.

The photos provide more evidence that the brutal jihadis remain hell bent on eradicating any trace of Syria and Iraq's rich heritage.

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According to the ISIS statement which accompanied the pictures, the historical statues are described as 'contraband'.

It claims that activists had been trying to smuggle out the statues, fearing their destruction at the hands of ISIS

Archaeologists had feared for some time that the group would have no mercy with Syria's historic artefacts when the jihadists rapidly seized the Syrian city of Palmyra.

Also known in Arabic as Tadmur, the city is situated near one of the oldest historical sties in the Middle East.

Jihadists quickly posted photos from within the stunningly well preserved city of Palmyra, drawing fears that ISIS would destroy the once Roman occupied site.

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http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3147298/ISIS-sledgehammer-civilization-Islamist-group-capture-activists-trying-smuggle-ancient-statues-safety-force-destroy-lashing-baying-crowd.html

Posted in English News