Islamic state militants published video showing destruction of statues and ancient artefacts in Mosul's museum. Earlier IS fighters blown up the central library in Mosul, the second largest city of Iraq. 10 thousand books were destroyed, including rare copies on culture, philosophy, Arab history, and hundreds of manuscripts. More than 290 objects of cultural value in Syria, which are on the UN list of world cultural heritage, were either damaged or destroyed during the civil war in Syria. Cultural heritage lost in wars - in photo gallery by TASS.
Cultural heritage destroyed in wars
Islamic state militants destroyed ancient artifacts in the Ninevah Museum in Mosul, Iraq
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Islamic state militants with sledgehammers destroying ancient artifacts in the Ninevah Museum in Mosul, Iraq
© AP Photo via militant social media account In July 2012 Islamists of the Ansar Dine (Defenders of Faith) destroyed two tombs at the Djingareyber mosque in Timbuktu, Mali. Photo: Djingareyber Mosque, a UNESCO World Heritage site
© AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell Tombs at the Timbuktu’s mausoleums damaged because of attacks by the Islamist radicals in northern Mali
© AP Photo/Baba Ahmed In January 2014 centuries-old artifacts in the Museum of Islamic Artifacts in Cairo were destroyed by a bombing that ripped through the nearby police headquarters. Photo: UNESCO delegation at the museum
© AP Photo/Hassan Ammar Damages inside the Museum of Islamic Artifacts after a car bombing in Cairo, Egypt
© AP Photo/Ahmed Gamil 1600 years old Buddha caves in Bamiyan valley, destroyed by the Taliban in 2001
© EPA/SYED JAN SABAWOON In December 2014 satellite monitoring of eighteen territories in Syria showed that considerable losses were inflicted on dozens of objects of cultural value. Photo: View of ancient city of Palmyra in central Syria, which is believed to be founded by King Solomon
© EPA/YOUSSEF BADAWI More than 290 objects of cultural value in Syria, which are on the UN list of world cultural heritage, were either damaged or destroyed during the civil war in Syria. Photo: A destroyed pottery shop inside the Old City of Aleppo, Syria, a listed UNESCO World Heritage Site
© AP Photo/Monica Prieto, File Minaret of 12th century Umayyad mosque before it was destroyed by the shelling, in the northern city of Aleppo, Syria
© AP Photo/Aleppo Media Center, AMC, File Crac des Chevaliers, the world's best preserved medieval Crusader castle was shelled in August 2012. Photo: General view of Crac des Chevaliers in Syria
© AP Photo/Dusan Vranic Belongings of Syrian rebels inside a chapel at Crac des Chevaliers, the world's best preserved medieval Crusader castle, in Syria
© AP Photo/Dusan Vranic, File Free Syrian Army fighters at an old Turkish bath, or hamam, which was turned into a rebel base, in the souk of the old city of Aleppo city, Syria. The site was later burned
© AP Photo/Hussein Malla