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Caught red-handed

The Islamic State grouping ( also call ISIS ) destroyed and damaged numerous diachronic sites during their war . At present , an Iraq - Kurdish force is fighting their way into Mosul , the last major city in Iraq that ISIS still see . With ISIS draw near defeat in Iraq , some fighters are choosing to surrender rather than fight to the death . It ’s possible that captured fighters who helped ruin historical sites could face war crime charges . Legal experts say that the videos that ISIS took for propaganda determination could be used against appendage in a court of law .

This image shows an ISIS propaganda video recording of their members wrecking a museum near Hatra in Iraq .

[ learn the full story on ISIS warfare criminal offense ]

ISIL face the music

Bringing back the past

Another ISIS member is render on television destroy the ancient metropolis of Hatra . These videos may come back to frequent ISIS members in homage , sound expert tell Live Science .

Evidence of destruction

ISIS dynamited and bulldozed the ancient Assyrian metropolis of Nimrud . This destruction was captured on video . The Agence France Presse ( AFP ) reports that several ISIS fighters were catch near Nimrud . If they took part in this destruction , they may confront war criminal offence charge .

Strategic placement

Another recently recaptured site establish a Tell , a Alfred Hawthorne created when people lived there for centuries or millennia . Tell contain unexcavated settlements , some as large as a city . ISIS built an reflection post on top of this Tell . away from the skillful viewpoint , the fact that the post was on top of the Tell made it hard for it to be ruin , as any turkey dropped would destroy both the reflection post and the archaeological stiff .

Protect the future or past?

Another recaptured Tell that again ISIS used as an reflexion post , make it hard to destruct without destroying the archaeological cadaver .

Unimaginable damage

When Iraki forces retook Nimrud , they launch that the ancient metropolis had been devastate . This image shows the blown - up and bulldozed landscape painting . Some of the artifacts may have been looted and sold on the black mart to supply ISIS with money .

Irreparable devastation

Another image of Nimrud . UNESCO , the antiquities coalition and other mathematical group are pushing for state of war crime investigation into the crimes ISIS commit . Captured ISIS phallus who put these acts could find themselves serving many years in prison if convict , legal expert said .

ISIL face the music

ISIL face the music

ISIL face the music

ISIL face the music

ISIL face the music

ISIL face the music

Fragment of a stone with relief carving in the ground

a view of an excavated building in the desert with palm trees around it

A human skull stares at the viewer. It is wrapped in thick cords and covered in an ancient textile. Its jaws hang open.

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an aerial view of an excavated fortress

remains of a bed against a wall

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a view of a tomb with scaffolding on it

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