Nimrud

Agatha Christie lived here once, but only memories remain of the time the best-selling crime writer spent among the ruins of the ancient Iraqi city of Nimrud.

As Iraqi forces fight to take back Mosul from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), archaeologists trained by the British Museum are preparing for another battle; trying to save what they can of the city's heritage.

The United Nations cultural organization has condemned the ?barbaric assaults? the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group launched on World Heritage sites in Iraq and Syria, saying they may amount to war crimes.

Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) fighters overran most of the historic Syrian city of Palmyra on May 20, in a blow to efforts to repel the advancing jihadists after the fall of Iraq's Ramadi.

Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) militants hammered, bulldozed and ultimately blew up parts of the ancient Iraqi Assyrian city of Nimrud, destroying a site dating back to the 13th century B.C., an online militant video purportedly shows.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on the international community on March 8 to halt the destruction by Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) of Iraqi archaeological sites, branding the smashing of priceless and ancient artifacts a "war crime".
      

The US-led coalition carrying out air strikes against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) must try to protect archaeological sites being destroyed by the jihadists, Iraq's tourism and antiquities minister said March 8.
      
ISIL smashed priceless artefacts at the Mosul museum, then bulldozed the city of Nimrud, which was founded in the 13th century BC.

The head of UNESCO has condemned the destruction of the ancient Assyrian city of Nimrud in Iraq by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), saying it amounted to a "war crime."

"I condemn with the strongest force the destruction of the site at Nimrud," Irina Bokova said in a statement.        

Islamic State militants started bulldozing historic artefacts Thursday, located in the ancient Assyrian city of Nimrud, today's Iraq.

Jihadists from the terrorist organization started demolishing the site founded in 13th c BC, as stated by Iraqi officials, the BBC reported.

The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) has begun bulldozing the ancient Assyrian city of Nimrud in Iraq, the government said, in the jihadists' latest attack on the country's historical heritage.
      
IS "assaulted the historic city of Nimrud and bulldozed it with heavy vehicles," the tourism and antiquities ministry said on an official Facebook page on Thursday.