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THE UN condemned Islamic State (Isis) today for the “war crime” of demolishing the ancient Assyrian city of Nimrud in Iraq.
Isis “assaulted the historic city and bulldozed it with heavy vehicles,” the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said.
The destruction began after noon prayers on Thursday and lorries hauled away quantities of ancient artefacts.
Nimrud was founded in the 13th century BC and lies on the Tigris River.
“I’m sorry to say everybody was expecting this,” said archaeologist Abdulamir Hamdani. “Their plan is to destroy Iraqi heritage, one site at a time.”
Nimrud is the site of one of the greatest archaeological finds of the 20th century — a collection of jewels and precious stones in 1988.
UN heritage agency Unesco director general Irina Bokova demanded an emergency meeting of the UN security council and urged the International Criminal Court to investigate.
