When ISIS overran the city of Mosul and nearby province of Ninevah, they also captured 1,800 archaeological sites which housed prices artifacts. ISIS has been destroying some these artifacts on calls of heresy, and they are also profiting greatly from it. Many international black market dealers have set up shop near the ISIS location in hopes of snatching an artifact so they can sell it on the black market. However, the city with the most damage is Kalhu. Kalhu houses the grand palace of the Assyrian King Ashurnasirpal 11 that has walls of priceless relics of describing the kings life through military conquests. The dealers are cutting up pieces of the relic and selling them bit by bit and making huge profits. The authorities are estimating 3 million dollars have been stolen in the form of these artifacts.
ISIS needs to stop desecrating the digging sites and historical buildings. ISIS are effectively destroying and erasing the history of Iraq and Syria so that the ISIS group can rewrite history to what they want. This is why they have been destroying artifacts. The American government needs to help preserve the artifacts so that the history stays alive.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/islamic-state-threatens-ancient-sites-in-iraq-syria/
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