ISIS’ handiwork.
Via France 24:
Jihadist fighters have destroyed a mosque in northern Syria, which to them represented a heretic form of Islam. These jihadists, who are part of the extremist group Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (known as ISIL) attacked the mosque after taking over the Kurdish city of Tal Maruf in late February.
The city of Tal Maruf is home to several religious institutions: a mosque, a mausoleum containing the tombs of five imams, and an institute of Arabic and Islamic studies. These structures were all built by Sheiks Muhammad and Motaa Khaznavi, Kurds of Turkish origin that settled in Syria after World War II. The Sheiks were followers of Sufism, a mystical branch of Islam. Prior to the Syrian war, Tal Maruf drew students from all over Syria as well as neighbouring countries who wished to study Naqshbandi, a branch of Sufism popular among Arabic, Kurdish, and Turkish Muslims.
ISIL, which has links with al Qaeda, is a jihadist group operating in Syria and Iraq. It is based on an extremist interpretation of Islam and considers Sufism to be heresy.
Mohamed Issam is a historian who lives in Tal Maruf. His house is located right across from the mosque that was destroyed:
“The jihadists entered the city at night and attacked the mosque in the early morning hours. I could see them from my house. They wrote insulting messages on the walls and on the mosque door before setting it on fire, leaving the Korans inside to burn.”