Destruction of a 13th.Century Tomb in Northern Iraq--Ihsan Fethi

Destruction of a 13^th.Century Tomb in Northern Iraq

Dear Iraqi Architects, Archaeologists and Friends World-Wide

This is to inform you of the latest sad news that the so-called “Islamic State” or ISIS, has recently demolished a little-known but important tomb building  that dated back to the middle 13^th century, probably even to the Abbasid Era. The Tomb was locally known as that of a certain Imam Ismail and located about 11 kilometers west of Hawija Town in Kirkuk Province and not far from the archaeological ruins of al-Bawazij Islamic Town near the Lesser Zab River.  The destruction is confirmed be photographs (Attached)

Again, this is a terrible and tragic addition to ISIS’s long list of never-ending and incomprehensible destruction of some of Iraq’s and Syria’s most important historic monuments.

Ihsan Fethi

Iraqi Architect and Heritage Expert