WEEKLY REPORT 81-82
February 17 – March 1, 2016
U. S. Dept. Cooperation Agreement Number: NEA-PSHSS-14-001
BY Michael D. Danti, Amr al-Azm, Allison Cuneo, Susan Penacho, Bijan Rohani, Marina Gabriel, Kyra Kaercher, and Jamie O’Connell
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.
Executive Summary
During the reporting period, multiple suicide bombings targeted mosques in both Iraq and Syria. Another Shia mosque in Muqdadiyah was targeted approximately six weeks following a mass targeting of mosques by ISIL militants and supporters, while a Shia mosque in Baghdad was also attacked. In Syria the Shrine of Sayyida Zainab was also attacked for the second time in less than a month. In addition to kidnapping, ransoming, and expelling Christian populations, ISIL militants have also attacked at least 19 churches in the Hasakah area of Syria since the beginning of 2015. These incidents further indicate that ISIL is advancing its pattern of terrorizing vulnerable populations, particularly ethnic and religious minorities, within its occupied regions while also directing increased efforts to accelerate sectarian tensions between Sunni and Shia in order to proliferate the conflict in Iraq.
Aerial bombing campaigns continue to inflict significant damage to heritage sites throughout Syria. One mosque in Homs Governorate and three mosques in Aleppo Governorate were damaged in airstrikes. Relatedly, Day After Heritage Protection Initiative conducted a site assessment for the site of Ebla at the end of February 2016 following multiple direct hits by airstrikes to the ancient site.
Between August and September 2015 The Day After Heritage Protection Initiative produced two condition reports on heritage assets in the villages of Jaradeh and Serjilla located in Idlib Governorate. Both reports document damage due to a variety of anthropogenic and natural agents, including illegal excavation, quarrying, reuse of ancient structures, and erosion.
No new satellite images were available during the current reporting period. Additional analysis will continue for more complicated datasets, particularly over Aleppo and Mosul.
Key points from this report:
- The Malthai Rock Reliefs in Dahuk were vandalized by graffiti (ASOR CHI Incident Report IHI 16-0005).
- Two ISIL suicide bombings damaged the Shia Rasul al-Azam Mosque in Baghdad (ASOR CHI Incident Report IHI 16-0006).
- An ISIL suicide bomber attacked a Shia mosque in Muqdadiyah, Diyala Governorate (ASOR CHI Incident Report IHI 16-0007).
- Russian airstrikes damaged the al-Souq Mosque in Palmyra, Homs Governorate (ASOR CHI Incident Report SHI 16-0029).
- Aerial bombardment damages two mosques in the city of Aleppo (ASOR CHI Incident Report SHI 16-0030).
- A series of four suicide bombings occurred near the Shrine of Sayyida Zainab in Damascus Governorate (ASOR CHI Incident Report IHI 16-0031).
- ISIL militants damaged or destroyed at least 19 Assyrian churches along the Khabur River in Hasakah Governorate since early 2015 (ASOR CHI Incident Report SHI 16-0032).
- Russian airstrikes damaged a mosque in Dar Ta’izzah, Aleppo Governorate (ASOR CHI Incident Report SHI 16-0033).
- The Day After Heritage Protection Initiative produced two condition assessments on heritage assets in Jaradeh and Serjilla in Idlib Governorate (Appended TDA Reports #1 and #2).
- The Day After Heritage Protection Initiative also conducted a rapid site assessment to document damage caused by Russian airstrikes around the site of Ebla (Appended TDA Report #3).