Fears are growing for the ancient city of Palmyra in Syria, hailed as one of the Middle East’s most precious cultural treasures, amid reports that ISIL jihadist fanatics
have taken up positions nearby.

#Syria #WorldHeritage: We must save #Palmyra & prevent its destruction http://t.co/aqpgnPIaeR #Unite4Heritage pic.twitter.com/zRvxLrBRVR— UNESCO (@UNESCO) May 14, 2015

The UNESCO World Heritage site, known as the “pearl of the desert”, has already been damaged by fighting in Syria’s conflict.

Now the country’s antiquities chief Maamoun Abdulkarim has warned that if the militant group seizes the city “they will destroy everything that exists there”.

Some are warning of impending ‘cultural cleansing’ and ‘a crime against civilisation’ at Palmyra, an oasis in the desert northeast of Damascus

Also concerned for the site as well as the local population, the head of the United Nations cultural arm has spoken out.

UNESCO Director General Irina Bokova said: “Our position is very