The stones of the Diyarbakır City Walls are being dismantled and sold. Architect Arif Ipek warns that if measures are not taken, the damage will be immense, Akunq.net quotes Turkish sources as saying.

The architect says the stones on the ground are not a result of collapse and that fresh traces prove that the stones have deliberately been dismantled.

Ipek says the stones have been used in the construction of cafes and restaurants in Sur, as well as for interior decoration.

Ipek warns that if necessary precautions are not taken, the destruction will continue to increase and said “there should be a serious sanction for the sale of these stones.”

The city walls and gardens of Diyarbakir were added to UNESCO World Heritage list in July 2015.