Sana'a - Saba:
Al-Hudhud Center for Archaeological Studies has strongly condemned the US aggression for targeting Yemeni archaeological landmarks, specifically the historic Nuqum Fortress (al-Qishla) located on Mount Nuqum, east of the capital Sana'a.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the center asserted that the US aggression constitutes not only a war crime but also a blatant violation of international agreements that criminalize the destruction of cultural heritage, citing the 1954 Hague Convention and the UNESCO World Heritage Convention.
The center emphasized that the targeting of al-Qishla represents an "unjustified escalation" in the destruction of Yemeni archaeological sites, which hold significant historical and cultural value for the nation.
The statement highlighted the unique cultural heritage of Nuqum Fortress, built during the reign of Ottoman Sultan Abdulhamid II in the early 20th century. It noted that the fortress stands on the remnants of an ancient structure dating back to the Sabaean period, with Musnad inscriptions, rare artifacts, and a rock-carved rainwater pool discovered at the site, confirming its antiquity and importance as a cultural landmark spanning millennia.
Al-Hudhud Center called upon the United Nations and relevant international organizations to take immediate action to stop these violations, assume legal and moral responsibility for the "blatant American aggression," and implement necessary measures to punish the aggressors and halt the destruction of humanity's cultural heritage.
The statement concluded by stressing that preserving Yemen's cultural heritage is a national and international duty, requiring a collective stand against attempts to destroy and obliterate its landmarks.
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