GRAVES and monuments to fallen British servicemen were smashed in a mindless rampage by Islamic militants.

The graves of children were also targeted as the al-Qaeda thugs left a trail of destruction in the former British colony of Aden, Yemen.

20 Graves and monuments to fallen British servicemen smashed up in mindless rampage

20 Shattered headstone after attack at the Hafoon Cemetery in Maala

20 Twelve al-Qaeda thugs left a trail of destruction in Yemen

20 The rampage in the port city of Aden took place in December 2015, but nothing has been done to repair the damage

The attack at the Hafoon Cemetery in Maala was launched by 12 balaclava-clad, gun-toting extremists who used sledgehammers and crowbars to destroy 1,927 graves.

St Joseph Church, which overlooks the graveyard, was also set on fire and ransacked.

The rampage in the port city of Aden took place on December 12, 2015 but, 18 months on, nothing has been done to repair the damage.

20 Nearly 2,000 graves and monuments to war heroes and children were smashed up with crowbars and sledgehammers

20 Rampage on the tragic site took place as civil war raged in the region in Yemen

20 Australian peace negotiator Dominic Ryan took these dramatic pictures in Yemen

20 Knocked over headstone to British war hero who died in conflict overseas

20 The balaclava-clad, gun-toting extremists destroyed nearly 2,000 graves

It took place as civil war raged, allowing al-Qaeda and ISIS factions to launch strikes amid the chaos.

The graves include those of military personnel who served with Britain’s forces in the colony from 1839 to 1967.

20 The graves included those of military personnel who served in the colony from 1839 to 1967

20 Commonwealth War Graves Commission have been unable to repair damage to the monuments

20 ISIS and al-Qaeda thugs launched strikes on monuments during the chaos in Yemen

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20 Dominic Ryan, 46, hopes the pictures will encourage a restoration project

20 Dramatic pictures show the aftermath of the mindless attack in a graveyard

20 Sledgehammers and crowbars were used to destroy the monuments

Our images of the destruction were taken by Australian peace negotiator Dominic Ryan, 46.

He said: “I would hope that these pictures might initiate a response to get people to come here and restore the cemetery.”

20 St Joseph Church was also set on fire and ransacked

20 Inside the church after Islamic thugs ransack graveyard with guns and other dangerous weapons

20 Aerial footage of the devastation in Yemen

20 Tory MP Johnny Mercer slams militants after attack on the graveyard

20 Painstaking work needs to be done to repair the damage in the graveyard

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission said it was unable to get in and repair the damage because of the ongoing turmoil in Yemen.

Tory MP Johnny Mercer said: “The people who did it will never know the sort of qualities and principles that those men fought for and died for.”