Ancient tourist attraction destroyed by IS
A satellite image has confirmed that the main temple in the ancient city of Palmyra in northern Syria, one of the most popular tourist attractions in the Middle East, has been destroyed.
UN satellite analysts Unosat say the image shows almost nothing remains of the 2,000 year old Temple of Bel following an explosion.
The site, which was visited by more than 150,000 tourists a year before the outbreak of the Syrian conflict, is being held by militants from the Islamic State.
A set of columns nearby had also been destroyed.
A local man told the BBC that only the outer boundary wall and the gateway to the ancient Greco-Roman temple remained.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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