The UNESCO said Friday that ISIL already holds around 2.000 world-renowned heritage sites and increasing attacks on those sites has reached "industrial scale".

The UNESCO international body (United Nations Education, Science and Culture Organization) said Friday that the so-called 'Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant' (ISIL) takfiri group already holds around 2.000 world-renowned heritage sites and increasing attacks on those sites has reached "industrial scale".

"This deliberate destruction is not only continuing, it is happening on a systematic basis. The looting of archaeological sites and museums, in Iraq particularly, has reached an industrial scale of destruction, an expert at the Royal United Services Institute in London said.

Both Iraq and Syria have over 10.000 heritage sites, experts say they all have a financial upside, so ISIL members use it by selling to certain dealers and to private collectors.

"Sale of the historical heritage is one of the best ways to raise ISIL revenues," the expert added.

Ma'moun Abdul-Karim, director of museums and antiquities, said that "ISIL terrorists have destroyed one of the most important unearthed statues in Syria in terms of quality and weight ... it was discovered in 1977 and dates back to the second century A.D."

Takfiri operatives of ISIL and Al-Nusra Front terrorist organizations, as well as other groups of similar ideology operating in Syria are intentionally destroying every ancient monuments or sacred shrine.