salih was with mosul museum till 2009. after isis occupied the region in 2014, they emptied much of the museum and began a campaign of destruction of the area's pre-islamic heritage. two assyrian "lamassu" and a winged lion, each nearly 2 metres tall, which had been the centrepieces of the museum, were destroyed. ninety-four precious objects of assyrian history as well as hellenic works were plundered or wrecked. salih and others begged isis to destroy the tombs and to leave the buildings intact, but the militants did not spare either the tombs or the buildings.