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During the reporting period, new details emerged of the ISIL deliberate destruction of the Ottoman‐era palace/barracks at the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Assur in northern Iraq (see �¼������ϲʿ��� CHI Incident Report IHI 15‐0082 UPDATE). Extensive damage to the structure, which overlies the ancient Temple of Assur, was confirmed through the analysis of DigitalGlobe high‐resolution satellite imagery, but other reported damage (corroborated by in‐country sources) was not discernable in this recent imagery. �¼������ϲʿ��� CHI continues to gather new reports of deliberate heritage damage and the reuse of religious structures for military/administrative purposes in the key conflict zones of Iraq — see �¼������ϲʿ��� CHI Incident Reports herein (IHI 15‐0084 and 0085) — for new information on the alleged destruction of mosques in the Baiji area and the verified ISIL occupation and vandalism of the Church of St. Ephraim in Mosul.��

A key development in Syria, YPG forces surrounded the strategic border town of Tell Abyad in northern Syria. They occupy portions of the settlement and seem poised to capture this region. As previously reported by �¼������ϲʿ��� CHI, Tell Abyad (var. Tell Abiad) and the adjacent Turkish town of Akçakale serve as a key (and well documented) border crossing for ISIL fighters and contraband, including illicit cultural property. The YPG seizure of this region has resulted in a refugee crisis as Arab populations and other groups flee before the approaching Kurdish forces. It is hoped that YPG control will result in a cease in atrocities in this region and a decrease in cross‐border trafficking, although �¼������ϲʿ��� studies strongly suggest Kurdish paramilitary forces have been previously involved and/or complicit in antiquities looting, trafficking, and sales in northeastern and northwestern Syria. Increased YPG control of the Syria‐Turkey border will place increasing financial and logistical pressure on ISIL in the Raqqa operational theater. Should the YPG expand and consolidate its gains, ISIL will be dependent on Djerablus for connection with Turkey.��

The number of incidents of combat damage to heritage rose during the reporting period, as SARG launched airstrikes against ISIL in Tadmor, allegedly, according to Tadmor sources, resulting in damage to ancient standing architecture at the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Palmyra (�¼������ϲʿ��� CHI Incident Report SHI 15‐0096 UPDATE). �¼������ϲʿ��� CHI identified no new damage in the most recent DigitalGlobe satellite image of Palmyra dated June 15, 2015. SARG helicopters dropped between one and two barrel bombs on the Ma’arat al‐Nu’man Archaeological Museum (the Khan Murad Pasha) resulting in the near total destruction of a tekkiye and mosque at the center of the khan’s central courtyard as well as currently undetermined damage to the museum’s world‐renowned collection of mosaics and other archaeological artifacts (�¼������ϲʿ��� CHI Incident Report SHI 15‐0098). Reported combat damage to the UNESCO World Heritage Site Ancient City of Aleppo continues to emerge (�¼������ϲʿ��� CHI Incident Report SHI 15‐0097). Sources also reported the ISIL destruction of modern graves in the city of Tadmor.