Khaled Al Asaad: body of archaeologist murdered by ISIS thought to be found

His son reveals the family's wishes for his father's final resting place

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Xinhua/Shutterstock (4989215a) Mohammad al-Asaad stands next to the portrait of his father Syrian archaeologist Khaled al-Asaad, Damascus, Syria - 23 Aug 2015. Xinhua/Shutterstock

King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia of Spain along with Syrian archaeologist Khaled al-Asaad visiting the ancient city of Palmyra, Syria, October 21, 2003. ABACAPRESS.COM

The ancient oasis city of Palmyra, 215 kilometres northeast of Damascus. SANA / AFP

Syria's most prominent antiquities scholars, Khaled al-Asaad, speaks in Syria. SANA/AP

A Syrian soldier walks inside the compound of Palmyra's Temple of Bel in the ancient Syrian city on March 31, 2016. - The main building of the ancient temple was destroyed by the Islamic State AFP

The damaged Roman amphitheatre in the ancient city of Palmyra in central Syria taken by Israeli satellite.Israeli Ministry of Defence / AFP

The site of the Temple of Bel's "Cella", in the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra after it was partially destroyed by Islamic State Jihadists in September 2015. - AFP

A view of the remains of Baalshmin temple, which was destroyed by jihadists of the Islamic State (IS) group in 2015, in the Syrian ancient city of Palmyra. AFP

Syrian soldiers stand on March 31, 2016 on the ruins of Temple of Bel's "Cella", which was blown up by jihadists of the Islamic State (IS) group in August 2015, in the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra. AFP

French President Francois Mitterrand, his wife Danielle and the Syrian chief archaeologist of the ancient city of Palmyra, Khaled al-Assaad visit the ancient oasis city of Palmyra on November 27, 1984. AFP

A general view taken on March 31, 2016 shows a photographer holding his picture of the Temple of Bel taken on March 14, 2014 in front of the remains of the historic temple after it was destroyed by Islamic State (IS) group jihadists in September 2015 in the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra. AFP

The family members of Khaled Al Asaad expressed hope that remains found near the historic Syrian city of Palmyra belong to the famed archaeologist murdered by ISIS in 2015 as he tried to prevent the destruction and looting of the Unesco World Heritage site.

Al Asaad was beheaded by the group at the age of 83 after refusing to lead the extremists to hidden troves of ancient artefacts buried to keep them save amid the country's civil war.

Syrian officials say tests are being done to identify three copses found near the site and to know conclusively if one belongs to Al Asaad.

"The authorities informed us two days ago and my brother Mohammed provided yesterday a blood sample for the DNA test which will require 72 hours for the results," Al Asaad's son Tarek told The National.

"We have high hopes that the body will be of our late father and that God will not disappoint us."

Al Asaad dedicated much of his life to uncovering and protecting the Greco-Roman ruins and was in charge of the site for nearly 40 years before retiring in 2003.

His work began early in his career when he was in charge of early excavation and restoration work at Palmyra.

Al Asaad and his son helped to move hundreds of ancient statues to safe locations out of concern they would be destroyed by ISIS militants.

The militants had already demolished several ancient sites in Iraq, and in 2015 they destroyed the facade of the Temple of Bel at Palmyra as well as other sites at the historic city, leading to fears they could destroy even more.

ISIS also looted ancient artefacts, selling them to smugglers who transported them to Lebanon, Iraq and Turkey to be sold on the black market.

Tarek Al Asaad said the family want their father's remains to be buried in the garden of the Palmyra National Museum if the DNA tests showed that one of the bodies was indeed him.

"We will then have the honour, as a family, to escort the remains of our father and our role model to his final resting place. We hope that this place will be the garden of the Palmyra National Museum, as his last request before he was executed was to visit the museum and take his last breaths there," he said.

"There is no place more sacred to my late father than this place. This is our wish as his family."