A/71/317 B. Intentional destruction in armed conflict 47. There are many other alleged motivations for destruction of cultural heritage and other forms taken by that destruction, which the Special Rapporteur intends to address during her mandate, including so-called collateral damage in armed conflict, and indiscriminate attacks which do not distinguish between legitimate military targets and civilian infrastructure, as well as deliberate targeting and acts perpetrated based on an overly broad definition of “military necessity”. 48. Armed conflicts and political instability also open the door to looting whether committed by individuals or organized groups. While it is sometimes difficult to distinguish between overlapping practices of ideological destruction and those of looting for economic reasons, both sets of practices must be tackled, including in countries where markets for looted artefacts are located. 49. One recent example of conflict-related destruction about which the Special Rapporteur has raised urgent concerns involves Saudi Arabia: as of May 2016, the air strikes of the military coalition led by Saudi Arabia in Yemen had caused the destruction of over 500 schools, 39 universities and vocational institutes and over 50 sites of religious, historic and cultural significance. None of these sites, except for one, had been identified as military objectives by the coalition and no justification of military necessity was articulated to support their destruction (SAU 3/2016). 34 Further, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights received reports that the Popular Committees affiliated with the Houthis had launched attacks that damaged public schools, mosques and Qur ’anic schools (A/HRC/30/31, para. 33). 50. The Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic has found that historic monuments are being damaged and destroyed across that country. No party to the conflict is abiding by its obligation to respect cultural property and to avoid causing damage to that property within the context of military operations. Both government forces and anti-government armed groups have rendered sites open to attack by placing military objectives in them. 35 51. Submissions received also provide additional examples of harm to cultural heritage inflicted in conflict. For example, the conversion of the archaeological site at Babylon in Iraq into a military base by forces of the United States of America in 2003, which continued to be maintained as such by Polish forces up until 2004, caused significant damage. 36 It is also alleged that in Diyarbakir, Turkey, armed clashes have caused serious damage to historical buildings. 37 __________________ 34 35 36 37 14/24 The Government has requested an extension of the delay granted for its response. See also A/HRC/30/31, para. 30. See A/HRC/23/58, para. 116, and subsequent reports of the Commission. Submission of Christiane Johannot-Gradis. Submission of the Diyarbakir Metropolitan Municipality. 16-13742