Isis ‘destroys thousands of years of culture almost overnight

Fleeing Isis fighters have destroyed precious ancient ruins in northern Iraq as they retreat towards the city of Mosul in the face of the US-backed coalition effort to drive them from the country.

Most of the militants were pushed out of the area around the 3,000 year old Mesopotamian city of Nimrud over the weekend, Iraqi army officials said, but troops remain wary of pockets of resistance, fighters hiding in tunnels and boobytraps - a favourite Isis tactic intended to cause further damage even after the battle has been lost.

Monitors have not been allowed access to the main archaeological site yet as it is too dangerous, but local residents in the area 20 miles south of the Isis stronghold of Mosul said that fighters had destroyed almost all of it.

Isis used everything from explosive charges to sledge hammers and bulldozers to destroy Nimrud’s statues, temples and friezes in 2015 as part of their war on 'idolatory', but recent satellite imagery shows that activity in the area became more frenzied as Iraqi coalition forces drew closer.