KABUL (Reuters) - Afghanistan's ruling Taliban fired mortars and cannon at the world-famous, rock-hewn Buddhas at Bamiyan on Friday in defiance of international protests, sources said.
A day after the radical Islamic movement announced it had begun destroying all statues in the 90 percent of Afghanistan it controls, an Afghan news agency also said the Taliban were also assembling explosives to blow up the two ancient monuments.
Taliban sources in the capital said cannon and mortars were already being used.
"They are using any weapon they have got at the Buddhas," said a Taliban official who asked not to be identified.
"Explosives, such as gun powder, have also been placed beneath the statues for more effective action."
The Pakistan-based Afghan Islamic Press (AIP) quoted Taliban sources as saying explosives were being brought from other provinces.
AIP, which has strong access to Taliban officials, said residents were being cleared from near the ancient statues -- which soar 125 feet and 174 feet -- but it did not know if they would be totally destroyed on Friday, the Muslim holy day.
There was no official comment from the Taliban, who have rejected international appeals -- including from Islamic countries -- to save the country's rich cultural past at the heart of the ancient Silk Road.
But Taliban officials had already made clear they would not be swayed from what they consider a duty to carry out the destruction of "idols" ordered by their leader Mullah Mohammed Omar.
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One door closed is one door opened
One more memory fades away
Such grand dreams we all have chosen
We lost our innocence along the way
- Rose Bygrave, "Innocence"
PsychoticIckyThing.Com
A day after the radical Islamic movement announced it had begun destroying all statues in the 90 percent of Afghanistan it controls, an Afghan news agency also said the Taliban were also assembling explosives to blow up the two ancient monuments.
Taliban sources in the capital said cannon and mortars were already being used.
"They are using any weapon they have got at the Buddhas," said a Taliban official who asked not to be identified.
"Explosives, such as gun powder, have also been placed beneath the statues for more effective action."
The Pakistan-based Afghan Islamic Press (AIP) quoted Taliban sources as saying explosives were being brought from other provinces.
AIP, which has strong access to Taliban officials, said residents were being cleared from near the ancient statues -- which soar 125 feet and 174 feet -- but it did not know if they would be totally destroyed on Friday, the Muslim holy day.
There was no official comment from the Taliban, who have rejected international appeals -- including from Islamic countries -- to save the country's rich cultural past at the heart of the ancient Silk Road.
But Taliban officials had already made clear they would not be swayed from what they consider a duty to carry out the destruction of "idols" ordered by their leader Mullah Mohammed Omar.
Want to learn more? http://www.reuters.com/news_article.jhtml;$sessionid$ANVWZPIAAC2QICRBADLCFEYKEEANOIV2?type=topnews&Repository=USTOPNEWS_REP&RepositoryStoryID=%2Fnews%2FIDS%2FUsTopNews%2FNEWS-AFGHA N-STATUES-DC_NEW.XML
------------------
One door closed is one door opened
One more memory fades away
Such grand dreams we all have chosen
We lost our innocence along the way
- Rose Bygrave, "Innocence"
PsychoticIckyThing.Com