Islamic State news: Blows up 2,000-year-old temple in Palmyra

The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) blew up a 2,000-year-old temple in Palmyra, Syria using large amounts of explosives, the antiquities chief said.

The terrorist group captured the city of Palmyra in late May, causing authorities to be concerned over the fate of the ancient heritage sites in the region. Syrian antiquities chief Maamoun Abdulkarim confirmed that ISIS used a lot of explosives to detonate the temple of Baal Shamin, according to The Guardian.

The explosion had left the ancient temple in ruins, Abdulkarim added.

Baal Shamin was constructed in 17 AD and was expanded in 130 AD during the time of Roman Emperor Hadrian. Palmyra, the City of Palms, is a remarkable oasis located 130 miles from Damascus. The beautiful city is considered as a Unesco World Heritage site, the New York Times (NYT) reports.

"I am seeing Palmyra being destroyed in front of my eyes," the NYT quotes Abdulkarim's statement to Reuters. "God help us in the days to come."

However, Abdulkarim said he was not surprised with the destruction of the ancient temple. He recalled their earlier warning that ISIS would start destroying temples after they have terrorized the people in the region, the report relays.

Abdulkarim said the ISIS militants executed their prisoners in Palmyra's ancient theater and kept other captives in the museum. They also destroyed the limestone statue of Lion of Al-lat, as well as funerary busts in July. For ISIS, statues and grave markers are a form of idolatry, the report details.

The extremist group has also demolished heritage sites located in its strongholds in Syria and Iraq. The destruction of the Baal Shamin temple comes just days after ISIS executed 82-year-old archaeologist Khaled al-Assaad in Palmyra via beheading.

Last month, ISIS demolished six ancient statues using sledgehammers. In June, the terrorist group detonated two historic tombs.