WEEKLY REPORT 95-96
May 25 – June 7, 2016
U. S. Dept. Cooperation Agreement Number: NEA-PSHSS-14-001
BY Michael D. Danti, Allison Cuneo, Susan Penacho, Amr Al-Azm, Bijan Rouhani, Marina Gabriel, Kyra Kaercher, Jamie O’Connell, Anthony Lauricella
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, combat damage to cultural heritage, already at heightened levels in recent months, appeared to escalate with increases in airstrikes and artillery barrages impacting urban areas. In-country sources reported on a number of damage incidents affecting houses of worship in both Syria and Iraq. In many cases, it is difficult to assess the historical significance of these structures, but the humanitarian impacts are manifest and such attacks will likely heighten ethnosectarian tensions and impede conflict resolution efforts. In Syria, houses of worship and other cultural infrastructure was damaged or destroyed in Aleppo city, Idlib city, and Rif Dimashq Governorate with increases in airstrikes across Syria, particularly over Aleppo and Idlib. Russia has pledged to back SARG’s renewed offensive to reclaim Aleppo, and we anticipate elevated levels ofdestruction to cultural assets throughout Syria’s M5 highway corridor as well as in Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor in coming months. In Iraq, in-country reports indicate several mosques were damaged by airstrikes and sectarian violence. Iraqi security forces have reached the southern outskirts of Fallujah, while Shia Popular Mobilization Front forces moved in from the north. Ethno-sectarian tensions may result in frequent heritage incidents.
In Syria’s Homs Governorate, recent DigitalGlobe satellite imagery dated May 25, 2016 shows the continuing expansion of the Russian/SARG military base within Palmyra’sNorthern Necropolis. Changes since May 10, 2016 include new parking areas atop subterranean tombs (hypogea), additional tanks visible on the site, and new gun emplacements between the necropolis and the ancient fortification wall.
A key question with regard to the cultural heritage crisis concerns the potential impacts of heightened military activity, collateral damage from terrorist attacks, and intentional/performative destructions of heritage during the month of Ramadan. In a planned act of propaganda of the deed, ISIL released new video footage (likely on the first or second day of Ramadan) showing the destruction of three of Nineveh’s gates — previously reported on by CHI — as well as the recent and previously unreported deliberate destruction of parts of the famous Nabu Temple. With ISIL’s operational capabilitiesincreasingly limited, cultural sites located in steadily shrinking ISIL core areas (viz. Mosul, Raqqa, Manbij) will likely suffer intensified losses from performative deliberate destructions given reduced target availability and a heightened imperative for strategic acts of retributory violence as the organization suffers additional setbacks.
Key points from this report:
- DigitalGlobe satellite imagery and new photographs demonstrate the continued expansion of the Russian military base within the Northern Necropolis at Palmyra, Homs Governorate (ASOR CHI Incident Report SHI 16-0065 UPDATE).
- New video footage reveals extensive damage to al-Kabir Mosque in Daraya, Rif Dimashq Governorate. Alleged SARG shelling damaged al-Huda Mosque in Khan al-Sheih, Rif Dimashq Governorate (ASOR CHI Incident Report SHI 16-0072).
- A car bombing and alleged SARG airstrikes damaged six mosques in the city of Idlib, Idlib Governorate (ASOR CHI Incident Report SHI 16-0073).
- Alleged SARG airstrikes damaged four mosques in Sukhna, Homs Governorate (ASOR CHI Incident Report SHI 16-0074).
- Ongoing alleged SARG and Russian airstrikes damaged Amer Abu Obaida Ibn al-Jarah Mosque and Hamza bin Abd al-Muttaleb Mosque in Anadan, Aleppo Governorate (ASOR CHI Incident Report SHI 16-0075).
- Alleged SARG airstrikes damaged Saad bin Mouath Mosque in Ma’arat al-Numan, Idlib Governorate (ASOR CHI Incident Report SHI 16-0076).
- Alleged US-led coalition airstrikes caused undetermined damage to al-Halisat Mosque in Raqqa, Raqqa Governorate (ASOR CHI Incident Report SHI 16-0077).
- Alleged SARG airstrikes caused extensive damage to al-Kabir Mosque in Ma’arat Misreen, Idlib Governorate (ASOR CHI Incident Report SHI 16-0078).
- Alleged SARG airstrikes severely damaged Abu Bakr al-Sedeiq Mosque in Theiban, Deir ez-Zor Governorate (ASOR CHI Incident Report SHI 16-0079).
- Alleged Russian airstrikes damaged al-Farouq Mosque in Daret Izzah, Aleppo Governorate (ASOR CHI Incident Report SHI 16-0080).
- Alleged SARG airstrikes damaged Hamza bin Abd al-Muttaleb Mosque in Hayan, Aleppo Governorate (ASOR CHI Incident Report SHI 16-0081).
- An alleged SARG barrel bombing damaged Abu Bakr al-Sedeiq Mosque in Hreitan, Aleppo Governorate (ASOR CHI Incident Report SHI 16-0082).
- Alleged SARG and Russian airstrikes damaged Jaafar bin Abi Taleb Mosque and Sahib bin Sinan al-Roumi Mosque in Aleppo, Aleppo Governorate (ASOR CHI Incident Report SHI 16-0083).
- Alleged Opposition shelling damaged the Armenian Catholic Church of the Holy Trinity and Our Lady of Joy Armenian School in Aleppo, Aleppo Governorate (ASOR CHI Incident Report SHI 16-0084).
- DigitalGlobe satellite imagery confirms reported damage to al-Farouq Mosque in Kubaysa, Anbar Governorate by suspected US-led coalition airstrikes in March 2016 (ASOR CHI Incident Report IHI 16-0008 UPDATE).
- New video footage released by ISIL shows destruction and damage to the Adad, Mashki, and Nergal Gates at Nineveh, Ninawa Governorate (ASOR CHI Incident Report IHI 16-0010 UPDATE).
- The Shia Popular Mobilization Front allegedly destroyed al-Kabir Mosque and Ibrahim al-Hassoun Mosque in Karmah, Anbar Governorate (ASOR CHI Incident Report IHI 16-0015).
- Probable US-led coalition airstrikes damaged al-Mudallal Mosque in Fallujah, Anbar Governorate (ASOR CHI Incident Report IHI 16-0016).
- New video footage released by ISIL shows the destruction of part of the Temple of Nabu at Nimrud, Ninawa Governorate (ASOR CHI Incident Report IHI 16-0017).