Vandalism of ISIS militants in Iraqi Museum reminds destruction of
medieval Armenian cemetery by Azerbaijanis

13:09 28/02/2015 >> SOCIETY

The video that shows how ISIS militants destroy Iraqi museum exhibits
in Mosul, mutilating ancient statues, is appalling. Armed with hammers
and other tools, the members of ultra-radical terrorist group
destroyed ancient unique artifacts of the world’s most ancient
civilizations. The wanton destruction of cultural and historical
monuments reminds how about 10 years ago, Azerbaijan destroyed and
razed to the ground an entire medieval Armenian cemetery in Julfa
turning it into a shooting ground, writes William Bayramian on “The
Armenite” site.

In his article the author tells how, since 1998, Azerbaijan began the
demolition of thousands of Armenian cross-stones patterned, that were
decorating tombstones in the Armenian medieval cemetery in Julfa,
located on the territory of Nakhijevan, which was passed to Azerbaijan
during the USSR time. In the early 21st century, the Azerbaijani
servicemen smashed Armenian gravestones using sledgehammers and threw
them into the river Arax, erasing traces of Armenian culture. The the
ancient Armenian cemetery soon was replaced by a military shooting
range.

“ISIS destroyed exhibits of more than 2,500 year-old prescription.
Azerbaijan destroyed the eternal resting place of thousands of people.
It is not a question of better or worse; these are just different
shades of a horror,” reads the publication.