BAGHDAD — Iraqi paramilitary forces said Wednesday that they have captured Hatra, a 2,000-year-old historical site near the northern city of Mosul.
The media arm of the state-sanctioned force made up mainly of Shiite militias broadcast images of the site Wednesday afternoon, showing what appeared to be the ancient ruins in the distance as militia vehicles drove through open desert. It was unclear from the video whether the forces had actually secured the ancient site.
Karim al-Nouri, a spokesman for the paramilitary forces, told state TV that forces had captured the UNESCO world heritage site, without providing further details.
Iraqi forces often claim to have driven Islamic State militants from areas that are still far from secure or that quickly fall back into the militants’ hands.
Hatra is believed to have been built in the second or third century B.C. by the Seleucid Empire. Islamic State militants destroyed it along with other major historical sites in and around Mosul after seizing much of northern Iraq in the summer of 2014. The extremist group believes antiquities promote idolatry, though it is also believed to sell artifacts on the black market to fund its operations.
The site is said to have withstood invasions by the Romans in A.D. 116 and A.D. 198 thanks to its high, thick walls.