Syria Fighting Destroys 12th-Century Minaret

Both sides trade blame over shelling of mosque in Aleppo
By John Johnson,  Newser Staff
Posted Apr 24, 2013 3:39 PM CDT

An ancient minaret at a mosque in Syria has been reduced to a pile of rubble, reports AP. Insurgents are blaming the government, and the government is blaming insurgents, but either way the minaret of the 12-century Umayyad Mosque is history. The mosque is located in Aleppo's Old City, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and other parts of the complex also sustained damage. Last year, UNESCO called the site "one of the most beautiful mosques in the world" and appealed for its protection, reports the BBC. (More Syria stories.)

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