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23:12 GMT
NEW YORK, Aug 25 (KUNA) -- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon condemned the continuing acts of terror and grave violations of international law by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in Syria, including the systematic destruction and plunder of the country's cultural heritage.
Ban is appalled by reports of the demolition by ISIL of the ancient temple of Baal Shamin in the city of Palmyra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, his spokesman office said in a statement Monday evening.
The Secretary-General is also outraged by the recent brutal murder of Khaled Al-Asaad, s retired chief archaeologist of Palmyra, by the same terrorist group; he extended heartfelt condolences for Al-Assad's family, according to the statement.
Moreover, Ban called on the international community to "unite and act swiftly" to put a stop to this terrorist activity, and reiterated that the deliberate destruction of "our common cultural heritage" is a war crime.
These barbaric acts of terror join a long list of crimes committed over the past four years in Syria against its civilian population and heritage, the statement said, adding that Ban called for the prosecution of the perpetrators. (end)
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