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US Secretary of State John Kerry has condemned the destruction of the cultural heritage of Syrian ancient communities, including the Armenian. Secretary Kerry’s comments came at a press briefing held in Washington on March 17, the website of the US State Department informs.

“We know that in areas under its control, Daesh (also known as the Islamic State) has made a systematic effort to destroy the cultural heritage of ancient communities – destroying Armenian, Syrian Orthodox, and Roman Catholic churches; blowing up monasteries and the tombs of prophets; desecrating cemeteries; and in Palmyra, even beheading the 83-year-old scholar who had spent a lifetime preserving antiquities there,” Kerry said as quoted by the source.

US Secretary of State next added that Daesh’s actions are animated by an extreme and intolerant ideology that castigates Yezidis as, “pagans” and “devil-worshippers,” Kerry referred to the threats by Daesh to Christians that it would “conquer your Rome, break your crosses, and enslave your women.”