ISIL Militants Blow Up Ancient Temple in Palmyra, Syria - Official

The Islamic State militant group has blown up the ancient temple of Baalshamin in Palmyra, Syria, the country’s Director-General for Antiquities and Museums told Sputnik.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The Baalshamin temple was built the early first century AD.

"The militants placed large quantities of explosives [into the temple] and then blew it up, seriously damaging it," Maamoun Abdulkarim told Sputnik on Sunday.

The Islamic State militants captured Palmyra in May, destroying some of its historic sites. The Syrian government evacuated the majority of the local population and removed the most valuable artifacts from museums to prevent their theft, sale or destruction.

Palmyra is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and contains large ruins of an ancient Roman city.