Islamic State seizes Unesco heritage site in Libya

[MowCowWhoHow III]

Source: The Telegraph

Islamic State fighters have seized control of the Libyan town of Sabratha, site of one of the world’s best-preserved ancient Roman theatres.

The fighters moved in a long column of Toyota pick-up trucks into the centre of town on Thursday, in what was initially thought to be a retaliatory raid after two of their men were arrested in a house nearby.

However, they then set up checkpoints around the town, with little opposition from the local militias that were supposed to be in control of the area.

The town is 50 miles from the Libyan capital Tripoli, which is now facing a threat from Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant from both west and east.

Read more: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/islamic-state/12045883/Islamic-State-seizes-Unesco-heritage-site-in-Libya.html

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[xocet]

1. Likely Iconoclasm and Destruction of Significant Archaeological Ruins Redux. n/t

[sufrommich]

2. Sigh,another historic site sacrificed in the name

of ignorance.

[MynameisBlarney]

3. I bet they'll destroy this too.

Fuckin barbarians.

[Truprogressive85]

4. Now Deash is 50 miles away from Tripoli

I thought everything was gonna fine once we killed Qaddafi ?

[Nyan]

5. Yeah it was supposed to bring democracy, right?

We came, we saw, he died. Was it?

[Truprogressive85]

6. yup that what we were told by S.o.S

yet Deash is in Libya ready to advance on the capital

I guess air strikes are on the way

Qaddafi brutal dictator yes ! but I do not remember him razing archaeological sites or releasing videos of executions

[LanternWaste]

9. When convenient, I too pretend that members of any given administration are able to prophecize

When convenient, I too pretend that members of any given administration are able to prophecize all possibilities with absolute certainty. Granted, it's an irrational belief, but as it validates our biases, we'll leave no irrational thought undisturbed...

[Jesus Malverde]

19. Some things are still predictable.

You for Assad now?

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

7. These are "our rebels".

After the Arab Spring, reap the whirlwind.

I'd guess these ruins will not be ruined until all the marketable bits are removed for resale.

[mainer]

8. I am very worried about Leptis Magna

It has its own band of local civilians protecting it, but if Daesh shows up, who knows if they'll be able to hold them off?

I was so fortunate to have seen Leptis Magna a few years ago. I only hope it will remain intact.

http://new.spectator.co.uk/2015/09/meet-the-men-taking-up-arms-to-protect-the-middle-easts-ancient-treasures/

[flamingdem]

18. fantastic

I hope to be able to see it someday. Fingers crossed and kudos to the defenders.

[romanic]

10. These assholes are destructive.

And the world does nothing to stop them from doing this.

[msongs]

11. the romans did the same things. as did the carthaginians. as did the italians...and germans. nothing

new here

[Sunlei]

12. bomb the Toyota pick-up trucks and that building they took over before they ramp up to killing the l

killing the local people.

[Marrah_G]

13. DAMMIT

[daleo]

14. Maybe tomorrow they will turn into moderate rebels

You never can tell, these days.

[Matthew28]

15. This makes me sick

Thousands of years of history and because of a dumb religion = gone.

Sickening.

[smirkymonkey]

16. Me too. It really depresses me beyond belief

[tabasco]

17. oH NO.

Please, somebody kill these assholes before they can destroy it.

[Yupster]

20. Did we even have a plan for Libya after Khaddafi?

You'd think we would have learned something from Iraq.

[jamzrockz]

21. In before

Someone tries to blame ISIS on Bush, Cheney, global warming, big foot etc etc etc. The only silver lining is that only 4 Americans died. The Libyans that were killed and maimed by this unprovoked war should be glad to know that it could have been worse if Bush was in office