ISIS Bulldozes Ancient City of Nimrud

Archaeologists expressed their outrage over this incident in Iraq.

The Islamic State or ISIS as it is commonly called has now started to destroy and demolish the site which was founded in the 13th Century BC according to Iraqi officials. The IS now has control over parts of Iraq and Syria and is a major threat to the stability and security of the whole world.

Alex Plathe the UN cultural body’s Iraq director has stated this attack as an “another appalling attack on Iraq’s heritage”. Another Iraqi archaeologist Lamia al-Gailani stated to BBC that the Islamic State is eradicating Iraq’s history.   

Nimrud was a city in the Assyrian kingdom, which flourished between 900 B.C. and 612 B.C and lies about 30 km south-east of Mosul. Many of the ancient artifacts had already been moved to museums in Baghdad the capital of Iraq and overseas.

However the larger artifacts remained on the site that our now under destruction at the hands of the IS. This act of cultural vandalism by the IS in their attempt to destroy Nimrud has been compared with the  destruction of the Bamiyan Buddha rock sculptures in Afghanistan at the hands of the Taliban in 2001. 

According to a statement by the Iraqi tourism and antiquities ministry the Islamic State attacked the historic city of Nimrud and bulldozed it with the help of heavy vehicles. The report also stated that the IS militants continue to defy the feelings of humanity and called for a UN Security Council meeting to discuss how to protect historic sites and cultural heritage in the worn torn country Iraq.

The basic reason why these terrorist groups whether it is Taliban or the ISIS destroy ancient shrines and statues is that these Islamic militants believe that these are false idols that have to be destroyed. 

The ancient city of Nimrud covers quite a large area and up till now it is not clear whether it has been totally destroyed or not. However a local tribal source stated that the IS militants had come to the Nimrud archaeological city and stole all the valuables in the site and then they razed the whole site to the ground.

In reference to this act by the IS militants the governor of the Iraqi city of Kirkuk Najmaldin Karim stated that this shows what barbarians these people are and why they need to be stopped.

Well this is certainly not the first time that the ISIS has indulged in such activities. Recently the ISIS was seen destroying stone sculptures and other ancient artifacts in the Mosul Museum. The Mosul museum had held nearly 173 pieces of antiquity of which none remain now. ISIS had taken over Mosul last June. Apart from this ISIS has also in the past destroyed the shrine of Jonah. 

The ISIS over recent the recent year has grown much stronger in terms of numbers and militarily. Their control stretches from parts of Syria to parts of Iraq and is seems that these awful incidents are going to increase in the future unless proper steps are taken to end this threat.