UNESCO condemns the intentional destruction of a historical mosque and mausoleum in the Hodeida Governorate of Yemen

UNESCO condemns the intentional destruction of the Ahmed Al-Faz Mosque and Mausoleum in Hodeida, located on the coast approximately 30km from the World Heritage property of the Historic Town of Zabid. The General Organization of Antiquities and Museums (GOAM) in Yemen confirmed, in a statement published on 23 October, that the building was destroyed by extremists on the previous day.

The original structure dated from the second century A.H. (7th century A.D.) and continued to be in use by the local communities, through successive repairs, until the present day.  Dedicated to the scholar Ahmed Al-Faz,  the mosque and mausoleum were an historical and architectural record of Islamic spirituality and worship for more than 1,000 years.

UNESCO reiterates calls for all sides in the conflict and the international community to protect civilians, communities and their heritage from destruction, to reinforce respect and adherence to the principles of the 1954 Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, and to refrain from using such places as bases for military actions and operations.