IS destroyed ancient Bel temple in Palmyra: UN confirms

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United Nation confirmed after a satellite image that the main temple in the ancient city of Palmyra in northern Syria has been destroyed.

It has been reported that the Temple of Bel in Palmyra destroyed by the militants from the Islamic State (IS) group.

Syria’s antiquities chief had earlier said the basic structure of the 2,000-year-old site was intact.

But UN satellite analysts Unosat say the image shows almost nothing remains.

“Unfortunately, the images we acquired do show that the main building of the temple has been destroyed,” Einar Bjorgo, Unosat’s manager, told the BBC early on Tuesday.

He added that a set of columns nearby had also been destroyed.

A local man told the BBC that only the outer boundary wall and the gateway to the temple remained.