UN Security Council strongly condemns heritage destruction by IS in Iraq

The UN Security Council on Friday strongly condemned the destruction of religious and cultural artifacts and burning of rare manuscripts by Islamic State (IS) militants in northern Iraq city of Mosul.

In a statement issued here to the press, the Council slammed the ongoing barbaric terrorist acts in Iraq by IS and reiterated its condemnation of the destruction of cultural heritage in Iraq and Syria, including targeted destruction of religious sites and objects.

A video released on Thursday showed that IS militants armed with sledgehammers and jackhammer demolished the Mosul Museum and smashed its priceless ancient artifacts. Reports say they also burned thousands of books and rare manuscripts from the Mosul Library.

The Security Council noted with concern that IS and other individuals, groups, undertakings and entities associated with Al-Qaida "are generating income from engaging directly or indirectly in the looting and smuggling of cultural heritage items from archaeological sites, museums, libraries, archives, and other sites in Iraq and Syria, which is being used to support their recruitment efforts and strengthen their operational capability to organize and carry out terrorist attacks."

The 15-nation body stressed again that IS "must be defeated and that the intolerance, violence, and hatred it espouses must be stamped out."

The Council members further emphasized that such continued acts of barbarism perpetrated by IS do not intimidate them, but rather stiffen their resolve.

They called for a common effort amongst governments and institutions, including those in the region most affected, to counter the group.

"The members of the Security Council reiterated that no act of violence or terrorism can reverse a path towards peace, democracy and reconstruction in Iraq, underpinned by the rule of law and respect for human rights, which is supported by the people and the government of Iraq and the international community," the statement said.

Iraq is facing an insurgency by the jihadist group, which has forced thousands of people, mainly from minority communities, to flee their homes since late last year.

The group had seized vast swaths of territory in northern Iraq since June 2014 and announced the establishment of a caliphate in areas under its control in Syria and Iraq. It has released videos showing beheadings of scores of civilians, including American, British and Japanese journalists and aid workers. Endi