The American Anthropological Association (AAA) mourns the loss of Khaled al-Asaad, a renowned Syrian antiquities scholar and archaeologist. Asaad was held captive by ISIS militants for over a month before he was brutally executed for refusing to divulge the location of hidden artifacts.
"This is a cruel loss for Asaad's family and friends," said AAA president Monica Heller. "This latest atrocity is felt deeply across the academic community. Asaad was a fixture in the study of the region; a wealth of knowledge that can never be replaced."
Asaad's actions to protect the treasured artifacts of a region he so deeply cared for will not go unnoticed by the academic community. AAA is outraged by the brutal and senseless murder of this honorable scholar, and calls upon the AAA membership to continue working towards policies of peace and understanding around the world.
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The American Anthropological Association, dedicated to advancing human understanding and addressing the world's most pressing problems since its founding in 1902, is the world's largest professional anthropology organization.
