News

Syrian archaeologist beheaded by Islamic extremists

Khaled al-Asaad, a prominent Syrian archaeologist in Palmyra, has been beheaded by Islamic State
Khaled al-Asaad, a prominent Syrian archaeologist in Palmyra, has been beheaded by Islamic State Khaled al-Asaad, a prominent Syrian archaeologist in Palmyra, has been beheaded by Islamic State

A PROMINENT Syrian archaeologist previously in charge of operations at the Unesco World Heritage ruins of Palmyra has been beheaded by Islamic State (IS) militants, according to the country’s state media.

Khaled al-Asaad, (81), who had been held by IS for around a month, was murdered in a square outside the town’s museum in front of a dozen people, according to the British based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Maamoun Abdulkarim, the head of the Antiquities and Museums Department in Damascus, said that Mr al-Asaad’s body was later taken to Palmyra’s archaeological site and hung from one of the Roman columns.

A sign attached to his body accused him of being a supporter of the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Palmyra, home to one of the Middle East's most spectacular archaeological sites - a well-preserved, 2,000-year-old Roman-era city at the town's edge - was captured by IS in May.

Mr Abdulkarim said IS tried to get information from Mr al-Asaad about sites of the town's treasures, but he reportedly refused, leading to his execution.

Mr al-Asaad was "one of the most important pioneers in Syrian archaeology in the 20th century", Mr Abdulkarim said.

Known as "Mr Palmyra", Mr al-Asaad was born in the town in 1936 and had been in charge of Palmyra's archaeological site for four decades until 2003, when he retired.

After retiring, he worked as an expert with the Antiquities and Museums Department.

He had received honours for his work from France, Poland and Tunisia and had published around 20 books.

"They killed him because he would not betray his deep commitment to Palmyra," Unesco Director General Irina Bokova said in a statement.

Since falling to IS, Palmyra's ancient site has remained intact but the militants destroyed a lion statue in the town dating back to the 2nd century.