Historic Syrian city Palmyra faces danger of wipe-out by ISIS 7 Photos . Updated: 21 May 2015, 06:35 PM IST Livemint The Islamic State is targeting ancient heritage sites in Iraq and Syria, razing them to the ground. The region, known as the cradle of civilisation, is home to many ancient cities that face the threat of extinction. 1/7The ancient oasis city of Palmyra, 215 km northeast of Damascus is known as Tadmur in Arabic and is also a strategic military location in Central Syria. AFP 2/7It was once one of the most important cultural centers of the ancient world, a desert hub along the caravan route that in the first and second centuries served as a crossroad for Greek, Roman and Persian cultures. AP 3/7But now the forces of the Islamic State have entered the city after winning intense clashes with Syrian troops. AFP 4/7ISIS has also destroyed antiquities in neighbouring Iraq, where it blew up the ancient city of Nimrud. The heritage site, located on the Tigris river was completely levelled in the attack. AFP 5/7An ancient statue of a winged bull with a human face, an indication of strength in the Assyrian civilization, at Nimrud. Nimrud was founded in the 13th century BC and was considered the jewel of the Assyrian era. AFP 6/7ISIS also attacked the Mosul museum around February. ISIS militants pushed statues and smashed them with sledgehammers inside the Mosul museum in Nineveh, the second largest museum in Iraq that contains ancient Assyrian artifacts. AFP 7/7The ancient city of Hatra in northern Iraq, a UNESCO World Heritage site, was recently targeted by ISIS militants, according to Iraqi officials. Reuters