DAMASCUS, Syria, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- The ancient Temple of Bel, in Palmyra, Syria, was destroyed by Islamic State militants, the United Nations confirmed Tuesday.
A weekend explosion gave rise of fears the main temple of the UNESCO World Heritage site had been demolished, although Syria's head of antiquities, Abdul Karin, suggested Monday the building, dating to the first century A.D., was still standing. Satellite images, and analysis by the UN's Operational Satellite Applications Program (UNOSAT) confirmed its destruction. A pair of columns is all that appears to remain of the temple.