UN peacekeepers to protect world heritage sites against raids

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has given the go-ahead to Italy’s proposal to send UN peacekeepers to protect heritage sites around the world from various threats, primarily terrorist attacks and destruction by militants.

"UNESCO has said ‘yes’ to the Cultural Blue Helmets," said Italian Culture Minister Dario Franceschini, adding that 53 countries alongside UN Security Council members supported the suggestion in the light of the destruction of cultural sites, including Syria’s Palmyra, by the Daesh terrorist group.

In April, UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova had also urged the Security Council to add the protection of cultural sites to the list of tasks for UN peacekeeping forces.

International concern over the fate of cultural sites, artifacts and monuments has been heightened by Daesh’s sustained destruction campaign against monuments, especially in Syria and Iraq.

Militants destroyed and looted the 13th-century Assyrian city of Nimrud, the ancient ruins at Hatra, the ancient Assyrian capital of Khorsabad, and several other ancient sites in northern Iraq. They have released videos showing militants of the Takfiri Daesh terror group smashing priceless artifacts and relics dating back to the 7th century BC in the central museum of Mosul.

After seizing Palmyra in Syria in May, Daesh militants have been consistently destroying the ancient city which is included on the UNESCO World Heritage list, demolishing some of its most prized sites.