Islamic State militants started bulldozing historic artefacts Thursday, located in the ancient Assyrian city of Nimrud, today's Iraq.

Jihadists from the terrorist organization started demolishing the site founded in 13th c BC, as stated by Iraqi officials, the BBC reported.

According to a Reuters report, militants invaded the city, looted valuables and then immediately started destroying historic monuments with bulldozers.

"They are erasing our history," Iraqi archaeologist Lamia al-Gailani said.

The main reasoning behind the acts is said to be the fact that the statues are ''false idols'', i.e. are not tokens of the Islamic religion.

A number of the artefacts have been removed from the site to international museums, but a large number is still located in Iraq's museums.

Meanwhile, UNESCO called the situation ''a military crime''. Director-General Irina Bokova condemned the terrorist act ''with the highest force'' and called on all religious leaders in the region to oppose it.

The vandalism happened merely a week after a previous jihadist attack on a museum in Iraq's city of Mosul.