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Eyewitness: In the shadow of the Buddhas of Bamiyan
Afghanistan is situated at a crucial junction on the ancient Silk Roads. The country has a unique cultural heritage, which reflects a history marked by the complex influences of Persia, Greece, Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam. These pictures show some of its cultural treasures.
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World's tallest standing Buddha
The world's tallest statue of Bhudda measuring 53 meters, 125 kilometers (90 miles) west of Kabul in Afghanistan. Supreme Commander of the Taleban Mullah Mohammad Omar has ordered the destruction of all non-Islamic statues in Afghanistan, including this centuries old Buddha in Bamiyan.
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International disbelief at the pending destruction
New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art has offered to buy Afghan artifacts in a desperate bid to stop the ruling Taleban from smashing the priceless historic statues; including this world's tallest standing Buddha statue which was already damaged in fighting.
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A unique world heritage
The United Nations cultural agency UNESCO has described the campaign as a crisis for world heritage and urged Muslim nations to help halt the destruction of artifacts including this 53-meter (175-foot) tall, 2000-year-old Buddha statue located in Bamiyan.
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Statues are insulting to Islam
Afghanistan's hardline Taleban rulers ordered the destruction of all non-Islamic statues because they are insulting to Islam. The Taleban want to remove any reminders of the centuries before Islam when Afghanistan was a center of Buddhist learning and pilgrimage. The Taleban also believe Islam forbids the making of images, such as pictures and paintings of people.
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Tanks and rocket launchers dispatched
Mullah Mohammad Omar, supreme commander of Taleban ordered the destruction using everything from tanks to rocket launchers, Taleban troops fanned out across the country Thursday to destroy all statues including this world's tallest standing Buddha.
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Statues predate birth of Jesus Christ
Buddhist statue on display at a Kabul museum. The statue shown dates back to the 4th century A.D. and was discovered on Kabul's Maranjan hill.
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