The World Heritage Committee,
- Having examined Document WHC/17/41.COM/7A.Add,
- Recalling Decision 40 COM 7A.10, adopted at its 40th session (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016),
- Commends the State Party for undertaking a rapid emergency assessment of the property, and requests it to submit a copy of this assessment for review by the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies;
- Expresses its great concern about the state of conservation of the property following intentional destructive acts, and about the continuing lack of detailed information on the state of conservation of the property, and also requests the State Party to keep the World Heritage Centre informed about the situation on the ground;
- Encourages the State Party to continue to pursue efforts to ensure the protection of the property, despite the difficult prevailing situation, and in particular to start implementing urgently the priority actions outlined at the International Coordination Conference on the Safeguarding of Cultural Heritage in Liberated Areas of Iraq (UNESCO, February 2017), with the support of UNESCO and the international community;
- Urges all parties associated with the situation in Iraq to refrain from any action that would cause further damage to cultural and natural heritage of the country and to fulfil their obligations under international law by taking all possible measures to protect such heritage;
- Launches an appeal to all Member States of UNESCO to cooperate in the fight against the illicit trafficking of cultural heritage coming from Iraq as per the United Nations Security Council Resolutions 2199 of February 2015, 2253 of December 2015 and 2347 of March 2017;
- Calls on all UNESCO Member States to support emergency safeguarding measures, including through the UNESCO Heritage Emergency Fund;
- Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2018, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and the implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 42nd session in 2018;
- Decides to retain Ashur (Qal'at Sherqat) (Iraq) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.