IS terrified by history: Unesco

NEW YORK: UNESCO’s director-general on Monday condemned the destruction of the Arch of Triumph in the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra by Islamic State jihadists, saying “extremists are terrified by history and culture”.
Irina Bokova said the UN’s scientific and cultural body would make every effort to ensure that the perpetrators of the destruction are brought to justice.
IS militants blew up the arch, dating from between 193 and 211 AD, as part of their sustained campaign of destruction of heritage sites in areas under their control in Syria and Iraq.
The Palmyra site is listed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List and before this year, attracted an annual 150,000 tourists.
“This new destruction shows how extremists are terrified by history and culture — because understanding the past undermines and de-legitimises their claims — and embodies an expression of pure hatred and ignorance,” Bokova said.
She said Palmyra “symbolises everything that extremists abhor — cultural diversity, dialogue between cultures (and) the encounter of peoples of all origins”.