Damage inflicted on Iraqi heritage by Daesh much worse than thought, says UNESCO

Wreckage of the historical works, destroyed by Daesh is seen in Nimrud in Mosul’s southeast, which was taken back by the Iraqi on November 16, 2016 [İdris Okuducu / Anadolu Agency]

The director-general of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has revealed that the damage inflicted on Iraqi heritage by Daesh’s actions are much worse than previously thought. Irina Bokova said on Sunday that UNESCO wants to protect Iraqi artefacts from any future damage.

According to Iraqi officials, they have retrieved looted artefacts which were found within tunnels in Mosul. The battle to liberate the city from Daesh is ongoing.

Meanwhile, the President of the Department of Archaeology at the University of Mosul, Dr Hamid Al-Jubouri, has said that Daesh has booby-trapped and bombed the historic city of Al-Hadar, to the south of Mosul. He described this as a “new crime” committed against Iraqi antiquities by Daesh.

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