In an ongoing effort to eliminate northern Iraq, ISIS has begun dismantling the ancient archeological site of Hatra. The antiques that aren't destroyed by the militants are pilfered, Qais Hussein Rashid, deputy minister of tourism and antiquities told NBC News. The ancient city, built in the 2nd century B.C., was classified as a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization in 1985. Hatra was once the capital of the first Arab Kingdom and survived invasions by the Romans in 116 and 198 A.D. ISIS has embarked on a campaign to destroy relics and historical sites that they apparently view as heretical. Last week, the group released a video that showed militants purportedly using sledgehammers to smash ancient artifacts in northern Iraq. On Thursday, the Iraqi government said the group had "bulldozed" the city of Nimrud, a 13th century B.C. Assyrian archaeological site just south of Mosul.
