Rome – Museums in Italy will fly their flags at half-mast to pay respect to Khaled Asaad, a senior Syrian art expert, who was beheaded by Islamic State militants, Dario Franceschini, Italian Culture Minister, has said.
The minister made the statement on Thursday in Rome, while reacting to the beheading of the archaeologist.
Asaad was the head of antiquities for 40 years at the ancient Roman city of Palmyra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The elderly archaeologist was taken prisoner after refusing to leave the city after its jihadist takeover in May.
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“Flags at half-mast will be observed in all state museums and cultural places to honour Khaled Assad,” Franceschini said. (dpa/NAN)