U.N.: Satellite Images Show Temple of Bel Destroyed in Palmyra

Satellite images show that Islamic State militants have blown up the 2,000-year-old Temple of Bel in the ancient city of Palmyra, according to the United Nations.

Although residents had initially reported hearing loud explosions, the extent of the damage was unclear as activists and other civilians were unable to approach the shrine, reports the Associated Press.

However, a satellite image taken on Monday “shows the destruction of the temple’s main building, as well as a row of columns in its immediate vicinity,” said Einar Bjorgo, manager of the U.N.’s satellite agency.

Since taking control of Palmyra back in May, ISIS has also destroyed the Temple of Baalshamin. The militant group has destroyed several ancient artifacts across areas under its control in Syria and Iraq over the last year.

Two weeks ago, the group beheaded Khaled Asaad, a renowned archeologist and Palmyra scholar.

Government Siege on Qudsaya for More Than 44 Days

The Syrian government’s siege of Qudsaya has now lasted more than 44 days, affecting more than a quarter of a million people in the area.

Qudsaya, located on the outskirts of Damascus, was put under siege by the Syrian army following the kidnapping of a Syrian soldier in July, reports the International Business Times.

The Jafra Foundation, a Yarmouk-based youth development group, warns that international inaction could lead to a humanitarian catastrophe in the area.

All roads to and from Qudsaya have been blocked since July 18, and no one has been able to enter or leave the area throughout that period.

Kurds Offer Base in War on ISIS

A Kurdish opposition group has offered a base to the international coalition fighting ISIS in Syria, according to Sky News.

Saleh Muslim, leader of the Democratic Union Party (PYD), said that his group “would welcome” the U.S.-led coalition “to operate from Rojava [the name used by Kurds for their liberated areas] and we would welcome the Free Syrian Army to train there too.”

The PYD’s armed wing, the People’s Protection Units (YPG), has led the fight against ISIS in many areas across Syria, most recently in Hasakeh.

“We favor a democratic decentralized Syria,” Muslim said, speaking of a potential future governance for Syria. “Our structures are the example of what the whole country should have,” he said.

Top Photo: Syrians being transferred to Turkey for medical care following an ISIS attack on Kobani (Ayn al-Arab). (Associated Press)

Recommended Reads

• Al Jazeera English: Street Battles Rage as ISIS Inches Deeper into Damascus
• TIME: VICE Journalists Charged with Working for ‘Terrorists’ in Turkey
• Daily Star: Who Might Fill a Syrian ‘ISIS-Free’ Zone?
• Voice of America: Fierce Fighting in Northern Syria as Turkey Launches Air Raids ‫