Iraq is assessing the rehabilitation needs of the ancient city of Hatra, near Mosul in the country’s north, after retaking it from the Islamic State (IS) on April 26. The jihadist group had occupied the site since 2014 and in March 2015 bulldozed some of the ruins, which date back to the second century and include ancient architecture and other priceless antiquities.
At one point, members of the group appeared in a video using sledgehammers to destroy antiquities, sparking fears that a priceless piece of human heritage, included on UNESCO's World Heritage List in 1985, would be lost forever.