The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), which took over Iraq's second largest city of Mosul and other territory in western Iraq last month, continues to destroy ancient religious shrines and Shia mosques.
On Twitter, Iraqi Hayder al-Khoei, a Chatham House associate fellow based in London, UK, just tweeted a video showing the destruction of Prophet Jonah's mosque in Mosul:
ISIS demolish the Nabi Younes (Prophet Jonah) mosque, one of the most historic places of worship in Mosul #Iraq https://t.co/qtDQ4o7JxX
— Hayder al-Khoei (@Hayder_alKhoei) July 24, 2014
The video, which is being shared on social media, has been uploaded on YouTube by Murtada Al-Yusuf.
The organisation of Sunni extremists considers the veneration of saints apostasy and Shia Muslims as heretics.
The Daily Mail recently published this report, with photographs and videos sourced from social media, on the destruction of at least 10 ancient shrines and Shia mosques in territories under ISIS control.
6 comments
This is heart-breaking. I saw this yesterday and was shocked, although I should have known better. This fits with their deranged version of Islam (not all of Islam, mind you). Such buildings as religious and historic sites are irreplaceable.
This is as heart-wrenching as the Taliban destroying the Bamiyan Buddha. Evil nurtures intolerance. Where is it written in the Islam religion that other religions and religious buildings must be destroyed?
The Middle East as we knew it will no longer exist. It will be ruled by extremists bent on destroying every vestige of society that they consider as infidels.
It is very sad that Iraq’s army of 30,000 has proved helpless before only 7000 terrorists of ISIS.These very terrorists with name of Taliban are active in Pakistan but now Pakistan army has crushed them and they are on run.