The Islamic State has demolished an ancient Syrian monastery, which was founded over 1,500 years ago.

As the destruction of Saint Elian Monastery, located in the city of al-Qaryatayn, occurred, The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has reported that ISIS captured 110 civilians from the area and began to transport them to farms near the city of al-Raqqa.

This latest destruction of this historical Christian site solidified the fears of Khaled al-Asaad, who, refusing to reveal to the terrorist organization where priceless artifacts had been moved for safekeeping, was beheaded earlier this week. As reported previously, the renowned antiquities scholar was hung in the city square with a sign on his corpse that denounced him as a heretic.

ISIS has posted images on social media showing bulldozers destroying the religious site dating back to the 5th century. Since capturing parts of Syria and Iraq, ISIS fighters have destroyed mosques, churches, and archaeological sites as well.

The militants used bulldozers to raze the monastery. Since the militant group took over Palmyra last May, the Syrian army has launched a large-scale counteroffensive in an effort to recapture the city.

RT has noted that images of the destruction show that the building has not been totally destroyed. In February ISIS posted a video showing militants demolishing ancient statues and other artifacts, saying that what they destroyed were in fact symbols of idolatry.

As quoted in National Geographic, Michael Danti, the co-director of the Syrian Heritage Initiative at the American Schools of Oriental Research, has called the recent ISIS-led destruction of monuments “the worst cultural heritage crisis since World War II.”

In an opinion piece for CNN, Sturt W. Manning, the director of the Cornell Institute of Archaeology and Material Studies, said “ISIS, like so many iconoclastic extremist groups through history, seeks to destroy the record of the past.”

Referring to images of ISIS members using sledgehammers to destroy archaeological objects, he said, “The spectacle would be ridiculous and pathetic if it were not so tragic.”

UNESCO director-general, Irina Bokova, condemned ISIS' latest actions. She called ISIS destruction of the pilgrimage site and the desecretation of Saint Elian's bones a "cultural cleansing."

"The intentional targeting and systematic destruction of the cultural heritage of Syria is reaching unprecedented levels", she said. "The destruction of the Mar Elian Monastery is a tragic loss for the region, for women and men around the world"