The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group has
released a video showing its fighters using sledgehammers to
smash ancient artefacts in Iraq's northern city of Mosul.
The five-minute video shows a group of bearded men in a
museum using hammers and drills to destroy several large statues, including one
depicting a winged-bull Assyrian protective deity that dates back to 9th
century BC.
"Oh Muslims, these artefacts that are behind me were
idols and gods worshipped by people who lived centuries ago instead of
Allah," one of the men tells the camera as he stands in front of the
partially demolished winged-bull.
"Our prophet ordered us to remove all these statues as
his followers did when they conquered nations."
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2015/02/isil-video-shows-destruction-mosul-artifacts-150226153158545.html