Islamic State (IS) militants have blown up the Baalshamin temple in the ancient city of Palmyra, local activists say.

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported that the temple was destroyed months ago, but Syria’s state head of antiquities, Maamoun Abdulkarim, said the destruction happened on Sunday.

Abdulkarim told AFP that the militants packed the temple with a “large quantity of explosives” today [Sunday] and then blew it up causing much damage to the temple”.

Many feared that IS would destroy much of the UNESCO-listed ancient city’s famous Greco-Roman ruins, when it took the city from the Syrian military in May. However, until now the group has not destroyed the the ancient buildings and temples unlike at other historic sites under their control such as Hatra and Nimrud in Iraq.

Shortly after IS took control of Palmyra rebel Syrian radio station Radio Alwan published an interview reported to be with the IS military commander in the area, Abu Laith al-Saoudy, where he said the group would destroy any idols at the site, but they would otherwise preserve the buildings and columns.

He said:

“Concerning the historic city, we will preserve it and it will not be harmed, God willing.

“What we will do is break the idols that the infidels used to worship.

“The historic buildings will not be touched and we will not bring bulldozers to destroy them like some people think.”

The militants have used the city’s ancient amphitheatre to hold the public execution of dozens of regime soldiers captured in the military offensive to take the site.