Iraq's government is investigating reports that the ancient archaeological site of Khorsabad in northern Iraq has become the latest to be attacked by Islamic State. Adel Shirshab, the country's tourism and antiquities minister, said there are concerns the militants had removed artefacts and blown up the site, located nine miles north-east of Mosul. Saeed Mamuzini, a Kurdish official from Mosul, said militants had already begun demolishing the Khorsabad site on Sunday, citing multiple witnesses. On Friday, the group razed 3,000-year-old Nimrud and on Saturday, they bulldozed 2,000-year old Hatra - both Unesco world heritage sites. Scroll down for video . The foundations of an ancient palace in the Assyrian city of Khorsabad which has reportedly been looted and destroyed by Islamic State militants near the Iraqi city of Mosul . The sculptured stone slabs that once lined the palace walls at Khorsabad are now displayed in museums around the world including these Assyrian winged bulls now housed in the British Museum in London . Other statues of winged bulls from Khorsabad can be found in the Louvre museum in Paris . UN secretary general Ban Ki Moon has called the destruction a 'war crime'. A statement by his spokesman on Sunday night said Mr Ban was 'outraged by the continuing destruction of cultural heritage in Iraq' by ISIS. Khorsabad was constructed as a new capital of Assyria by King Sargon II shortly after he came to power in 721BC and abandoned after his death in 705BC. It features a city wall with a stone foundation and seven gates. Since it was a single-era capital, few objects linked to Sargon II himself were found. However, the site is renowned for shedding light on Assyrian art and architecture. The sculptured stone slabs that once lined the palace walls are now displayed in museums in Baghdad, Paris, London and Chicago. ISIS currently controls about a third of Iraq and Syria. Officials in the northern city of Mosul confirmed militants with the terror group have begun destroying the archaeological site of Hatra in northern Iraq. A file photo shows the temple to the Shamash sun god in Hatra . Iraq's minister of tourism and antiquities said the government was also investigating reports that the ancient archaeological site of Hatra in north west Iraq is being demolished by militants from the Islamic State group . The Sunni extremist group has been campaigning to purge ancient relics they say promote idolatry that violates their fundamentalist interpretation of Islamic law. Yesterday, officials officials  reported the jihadists have begun destroying the archaeological site of Hatra in northern Iraq. It comes after fanatics went on a rampage in the Assyrian city of Nimrud in northern Iraq, destroying the 3,000 year-old winged statues placed at the gates of the Palace of Ashurnasirpal. A video released last week also showed them smashing artefacts in the Mosul museum. In January, the group also burned hundreds of books from the Mosul library and Mosul University, including many rare manuscripts. At a press conference earlier yesterday, Mr Shirshab said they have called for an extraordinary session of the UN Security Council to address the crisis in Iraq. 'The world should bear the responsibility and put an end to the atrocities of the militants, otherwise I think the terrorist groups will continue with their violent acts,' he said. ISIS extremists targeted a museum in Mosul using power drills and sledge hammers to destroy artefacts .
Witnesses say militants began demolishing ancient ruins at the weekend . Khorsabad was constructed as a new capital of Assyria by King Sargon II . Comes after group razed 3,000-year-old Nimrud and  2,000-year old Hatra .