Islamic State destroys 8,000 rare books and ancient manuscripts in Iraq

The Islamic State has reportedly destroyed the Mosul public library, which had about 8000 rare books and manuscripts. The books and manuscripts in question have been burned into oblivion.

“ISIS militants bombed the Mosul Public Library. They used improvised explosive devices,” said Ghanim al-Ta'an, the director of the library to Western media outlets. Reportedly, known figures in Mosul tried to persuade ISIS members to spare the library, but they failed.

The lost collections of the Mosul library were manuscripts from the eighteenth century, Syriac books printed in Iraq's first printing house in the nineteenth century, books from the Ottoman era, Iraqi newspapers from the early twentieth century and some old antiques like an astrolabe and sand glass used by ancient Arabs. The library had hosted the personal libraries of more than 100 notable families from Mosul over the 20th century. 

This is not the first time the library has come under attack though. During the US invasion of Iraq in 2003, the library was looted and destroyed by mobs. However, the people living nearby managed to save most of its collections and rich families bought back the stolen books and they were returned to the library, according to the report.

"900 years ago, the books of the Arab philosopher Averroes were collected before his eyes...and burned. One of his students started crying while witnessing the burning. Averroes told him... the ideas have wings...but I cry today over our situation," Rayan al-Hadidi, an activist and a blogger from Mosul, told the media.

The library's website stands suspended.

“What a pity! We used to go to the library in the 1970s. It was one of the greatest landmarks of Mosul. I still remember the special pieces of paper where the books’ names were listed alphabetically,” said Akil Kata who left Mosul to exile years ago.

Apparently, on the same day the library was destroyed, Islamic State demolished another old church in Mosul: the church of Mary the Virgin. The Mosul University Theater was burned as well, according to eyewitnesses. In Western Iraq, the book-burning campaign has managed to destroy 100,000 titles, according to local officials. In December 2014, ISIS burned Mosul University’s central library.

The report further states that 'Iraq, the cradle of civilization, the birthplace of agriculture and writing and the home of the Sumerian, Akkadian, Assyrian, Babylonian and Arab civilizations had never witnessed such an assault on its rich cultural heritage since the Mongol era in the Middle Ages.'