WEEKLY REPORT 25
January 26, 2015
U. S. Dept. Cooperation Agreement Number: NEA-PSHSS-14-001
BY Michael D. Danti, Jesse Casana, Tate Paulette, Kathryn Franklin & Cheikhmous Ali
DOWNLOAD: REPORT
* This report is based on research conducted by the “Safeguarding the Heritage of the Near East Initiative,” funded by the US Department of State. Monthly reports reflect reporting from a variety of sources and may contain unverified material. As such, they should be treated as preliminary and subject to change.
Key points from this report:
- ASOR CHI Co-Director Prof. Jesse Casana and his team at the University of Arkansas have released new statistics on heritage destruction in Syria. A comprehensive analysis of 740 archaeological sites using satellite imagery confirms a significant and steady increase in looting across Syria since the start of the conflict. (pp. 3–6)
- To document their destruction of the Nabhaniyeh shrine, Jabhat Ansar al-Din and Jabhat al-Nusra uploaded a photo of a participant holding up an edict, which appears to indicate their sanction by the Sharia Court in Aleppo and the Countryside.
- ISIL released a video showing the deliberate destruction of five religious sites in Iraq in 2014. (pp. 23–27)