The head of antiquities in Palmyra was tortured, beheaded by ISIS last August, rather than telling the terror group where the ancient city’s treasures were hidden The family of Syrian archaeologist Khaled Mohamad al-Asaad tell their story and the death of a man who served for forty years and eventually died protecting Palmyra’s honor. The Independent reports: Before his death, Khaled al-Asaad, 81, who was chief of the Unesco world heritage site, had been dubbed “Mr Palmyra” in recognition of his work on the 2,000-year-old buildings and works of art in the city. When Isis took control of the area, they tried to force him to reveal the locations of valuable antiquities. “The main reason behind the execution of my father was that he refused to tell Isis about the locations of monuments that were still uncovered,” his son Mohamed said in an interview with The Times. “The news hit me like a thunderbolt. They took him to the main square of the city and beheaded him in front of people. “Whoever tried to leave was killed as well. Our father was a man who served his city and country for decades. His murder was ugly and shameful.” Mohamed added that his family only learned that [...]