IS Militants Blow Up Historical Tal Afar Castle

TAL AFAR The Islamic State (IS) militants has blown up another historical site in northern Iraq, the latest being the Tal Afar castle, which goes back to 16th century.

A Kurdish official from Tal Afar has told BasNews that the extremist group, which has controlled the Turkmen majority town since early August, blew up large part of the historical castle.

“On Wednesday night, after planting hundreds of IEDs on the castle, the Islamic State militants blew up a large part of Tal Afar castle”, said Hassan Khalo, senior official from Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) office in Tal Afar.

Khalo also revealed that the latest action from the extremist group was due to most of the administration buildings of the town was based on the castle, and now most of the buildings have been destroyed.

The Kurdish official also said that a few days ago, before the militants blow up the castle, they have looted all the historical antiques inside the castle.

According to historians the Tal Afar castle, goes back to 16th-century, which was built by the Ottoman Empire, which is located in the center of town.

Tal Afar is district in northwestern Iraq in the Ninawa Governorate located approximately 50 km west of Mosul and 200 km north west of Kirkuk.

Since taking over most of the cities and town of northern Iraq, the Islamic State militants has destroyed most of the historical and religious sites in the area.