There seems to be
something of a purge going on in the Middle East lately, with muslims deciding to blow up a bunch of temples and false idols.
Quote:
Palmyra's Baalshamin temple 'blown up by IS'
Islamic State militants have destroyed Palmyra's ancient temple of Baalshamin, Syrian officials and activists say.
Palmyra is famed for its well-preserved Greco-Roman ruins.
The BBC World Service arts correspondent Vincent Dowd says the temple built nearly 2,000 years ago was primarily a Roman era artefact. It was dedicated to the Phoenician god of storms and fertilising rains.
He said it was "extremely important" and had been "almost totally intact".
Last month, IS published photos of militants destroying what it said were artefacts looted at Palmyra.
A week ago, it emerged that the archaeologist who had looked after Palmyra's ruins for four decades had been beheaded by the militant group.
Mr Abdulkarim said the 81-year-old had refused to tell IS where some treasures had been hidden to try and save them.
The group has also published photos of what they said was the destruction of two Islamic shrines near Palmyra, which they described as "manifestations of polytheism".
IS attacks on historical sites and artefacts
January: The group ransacks the central library in the Iraqi city of Mosul, burning thousands of books.
February: A video emerges showing the destruction of ancient artefacts at the central museum in Mosul.
March: IS uses explosives and bulldozers on Nimrud, one of Iraq's greatest archaeological treasures. Shortly after they destroy ruins at Hatra.
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It's fantastic news that they have finally seen the light and I eagerly await further news of their conversion to Christianity. I like to think George W Bush deserves some credit for this. Just 12 short years ago he personally liberated Baghdad and gave them the gift of democracy. With this gift they decided to destroy their own country in civil war and crack down on the worship of silly trinkets such as a few old books, a non-Creationist museum and fake-religious buildings.