Militants from the Islamic State have embarked on a campaign of religious destruction in the "caliphate", erasing shrines and mosques connected to the Shia Muslim and Christian faiths.
A large amount of the destruction has taken place in the cities of Mosul, the first city captured by the Islamic State in its recent charge through northern Iraq, and nearby Tal 'Afar.
The Islamic State believes the veneration of tombs in religious places is against the teaching of Allah, and as such has used explosives and bulldozers to destroy centuries-old monuments.
In a video posted by the Islamic State three days ago, entitled Upon the Prophetic Methodology, the Islamic State showcases its destruction of Shia mosques and shrines. [Channel 4] Read more
