Wall fresco Dura Europos synagogue in Syria (illustrative)
Wall fresco Dura Europos synagogue in Syria (illustrative)Reuters

Terrorists in Iraq have seized a major synagogue and holy site in Amara, the Elder of Ziyon blog reported Wednesday - and have already destroyed much of it. 

According to the Iraqi media site quoted by the blog, the synagogue will become the new southern headquarters of the terrorists, whose name and affiliation are unspecified. All roads to the synagogue have been blocked and journalists have been banned from reporting on the takeover. 

The media site also added that Ezra's tomb in the Amara area has also been stripped of its Jewish identity, and may possibly have been destroyed. 

The move is yet another blow to Iraq's Jewish community, which the blog notes is down to a mere ten Jews - despite 2,500 years of Jewish life which began with the destruction of the First Temple in Jerusalem. 

While both reports decline to specify the name of the terror group, news of the demolition follows multiple reports that Islamic State (ISIS) has systemically destroyed multiple Jewish holy sites in Iraq. 

Last July, ISIS destroyed the tombs of both the prophet Daniel and Jonah in Mosul, claiming that the graves represent "idolatry." 

In addition, the Iraqi government itself has de-Judaized several sites throughout Iraq, including Ezekiel's Tomb and the tomb of Joshua the High Priest near Baghdad.