On June 11, gunmen from an Uzbek faction of non-Syrian nationals affiliated with Hay’at Tahrir al Sham stormed the Idlib National Museum in Idlib city, destroying seven statues on a mural in the museum which they categorized as ‘idols’, after a number of photos appeared showing school students with this mural. SNHR notes that the historical statues which were destroyed by the HTS’s personnel are registered on the World Heritage List managed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). This barbaric action proves once again that HTS represents an extremist ideology wholly alien to the culture, civilization and history of the Syrian people, and reflecting only an ignorant Dark Ages mindset, leading to its efforts to enforce its extremist ideology through oppression. SNHR condemns this blatant attack on the heritage and civilization of the Syrian people, and calls on the international community to revive the dormant peace process in order to protect and preserve what remains of the Syrian people and state.
Video still taken from a video published online on June 11, 2021, showing the places of the historical statues in Idlib National Museum after they were destroyed by gunmen affiliated with Hay’at Tahir al Sham.
Photo shows the statues on the mural in the Idlib International Museum before they were destroyed by gunmen affiliated with Hay’at Tahir al Sham on June 11, 2021.
