Islamic State continues destruction of Iraqi historical sites

The Islamic State has promised to continue its vandalising march through the Middle East’s priceless historical sites, underscoring its message by targeting an Assyrian church with explosives on Easter Sunday.

The jihadist group released a seven-minute long video showing militants using sledgehammers and assault rifles to destroy ancient artefacts at a Unesco world heritage in Iraq.

Although Iraq's antiquities ministry reported damage to the 2,000-year old site last month, the new video provides the first evidence of its partial destruction.

The smashing of Hatra is just one in Isil's string of attacks on ancient heritage across Iraq and Syria, large swathes of which are under the group's control. In February, the extremists drew international ire by ransacking Mosul's central museum, destroying priceless artefacts dating back thousands of years.

The campaign of destruction continued on Easter Sunday, as militants partially blew up a church in the northeastern Syrian village of Tel Nasri. The village is close to Isil's battlefront with Kurdish forces which have slowed their advance through parts of Syria and Iraq.