ISIS razes Phoenician temple in Palmyra

Syrian opposition sources report that the Islamic State which captured Palmyra in May had used a large amount of explosives to blow up the 2,000-year old Baalshamin Temple Sunday, a few days after beheading the town’s 82-year old antiquities director and famed scholar Khaled al-Asaad. The temple which is about 500 meters from Palmyra’s famous Roman amphitheater was dedicated to the Phoenician god of storms and rain. 

The jihadis have been on a rampage of destroying historic sites in what they call a purge of paganism. But they have also sold off quantities of looted artifacts for high prices.