ISIS Plans To Destroy Ancient Walls Of Nineveh In Northern Iraq

The ignorant ISIS animals have their eyes set on destroying the ancient archaeological walls of Nineveh in northern Iraq.  The Assyrians (Christians) have systematically been massacred and displaced over the centuries.

(AINA) -- According to the Assyrian website www.ankawa.com, ISIS is planning to destroy the walls of Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrian Empire and one of the most important archaeological sites in Iraq. Nineveh was sacked in 612 B.C. when the Assyrian Empire was overthrown.
Residents of the Bab Nergal area of Mosul said ISIS has informed them that it will blow up the walls of Nineveh with the start of operations to liberate Mosul by the Iraqi army.

In the last month ISIS has seized the content of the cultural museum in Mosul as well as destroyed Assyrian monuments in the city, which ISIS claims "distort Islam."

Assyrians are the the only indigenous people of Iraq, going back to 4750 B.C. In 2003, just before the U.S. invasion, there were 1.5 million Assyrians living in Iraq. Today there are about 500,000 remaining. A sustained, low grade genocide (report) perpetrated by Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds drove hundreds of thousands of Assyrians into exile in Syria, Jordan, Turkey and Lebanon.

On August 7 of 2014, ISIS moved into the Nineveh Plain, the last stronghold of Assyrians in Iraq, forcing nearly 200,000 Assyrians to flee their homes and villages, where they now live as refugees in the Dohuk and Arbel areas.

Of course this wouldn't be the first time Muslim extremists destroy historical treasures. The Taliban bombed the ancient 6th century Buddha statues in Bamiyan. ISIS destroyed an 1,800 year old church in Mosul. Salafists in Egypt want to destroy the Pyramids and the Sphinx. They've even targeted Muslim sites. Islamists destroyed ancient treasures in Timbuktu, Mali. And Hamas destroyed part of an ancient harbor to make room for a terrorist training camp.  They just don't care. History means nothing to them.

Source: AINA

ISIS JihadistsTorch 1,800-Year-Old Church In Mosul

Now comes the purge of all things Christian in Mosul, Iraq.  The people have fled after being given an ultimatum- convert, pay taxes or die, and now ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) is destroying anything Christian. The jihadists started by torching an 1,800-year-old church, though they'd already destroyed some crosses and statues in the city.

They've also destroyed ancient Sufi shrines and Shiite mosques.

The destruction isn't surprising. Their brand of Islam has been responsible for destroying many ancient, historic sites over the years, in various parts of the world. Islamists in Mali destroyed ancient treasures in Timbuktu. Salafis destroyed the Prophet Abraham mausoleum in Syria. The Taliban destroyed the ancient Buddhas of Bamiyan. If Egyptian Salafist Murgan Salem al-Gohary had his way, the ancient Pyramids and Sphinx would be a goner.

Islam's Holiest Sites In Mecca Are Being Destroyed

Saudi Arabia is home to the most revered ancient Islamic holy site in the world- the holy city of Mecca, birthplace of Mohammed. The Masjid al-Haram (The Grand Mosque) that houses the Kaaba (where everyone faces to pray) is located in Mecca. The Fifth Pillar of Islam is the "Hajj"- that's the trek to Mecca that every financially and able-bodied Muslim is expected to make during his/her lifetime. But the Hajj has become big business, so most of the ancient buildings (95% percent or so since 1985) have been demolished to make room for the masses of people that arrive in Mecca for the most important pilgrimage of their lives. In fact, it's estimated that only 20 historical sites dating back to Mohammed's time still exist.

Of the seven ancient mosques, only two remain: one in Mecca and one in Medina. You see, the Saudi Wahhabis don't really care about maintaining sites of historical religious significance- that could lead to "shirk" (idolatry), which is a major no-no in Islam. They'd rather raze an historic site and build luxury hotels and apartments, shopping malls and parking lots to accommodate the hordes of pilgrims that descend upon Mecca and Medina.

So the Kingdom continues with the destruction, this time on the Masjid al-Haram mosque itself, which is currently undergoing a multi-billion pound expansion.

Photographs obtained by The Independent reveal how workers with drills and mechanical diggers have started demolishing some Ottoman and Abbasid sections on the eastern side of the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca.

[snip] 

The columns are the last remaining sections of the mosque which date back more than a few hundred years and form the inner perimeter on the outskirts of the white marble floor surrounding the Kaaba.

[snip]

Many of the Ottoman and Abbasid columns in Mecca were inscribed with intricate Arabic calligraphy marking the names of the Prophet Muhammad’s companions and key moments in his life. One column which is believed to have been ripped down is supposed to mark the spot where Muslims believe Muhammad began his heavenly journey on a winged horse, which took him to Jerusalem and heaven in a single night.

The photos of construction on the mosque have emerged in the last few weeks and were obtained by the The Independent.  Naturally, archaeologists are very concerned about what is happening to the last vestiges of Islamic archaeological heritage, and are trying to get Saudi authorities to see the importance of preservation. It's not really working, although there are some Muslims who are also concerned.

[snip]  Dr Irfan al-Alawi, executive director of the Islamic Heritage Research Foundation which obtained the new photographs from inside the Grand Mosque, says the removal of the Ottoman and Abbasid columns will leave future generations of Muslims ignorant of their significance.

“It matters because many of these columns signified certain areas of the mosque where the Prophet sat and prayed." “The historical record is being deleted. A new Muslim would never have a clue because there’s nothing marking these locations now. There are ways you could expand Mecca and Medina while protecting the historical heritage of the mosque itself and the surrounding sites.”

The mosque in Medina, the Masjid an-Nabawi, is subject to the same fate.

Last October The Independent revealed how new plans for the masjid an-Nabawi in Medina would result in the destruction of three of the world’s oldest mosques on the west hand side of the main complex. However new plans approved by King Abdullah last week appear to show a change of heart with the bulk of the expansion now slated to take place to the north of the Masjid an-Nabawi.

It appears that the house where Mohammed was born, is scheduled for the chopping block, if all goes as planned.

I suppose, why should we care if they don't.