Beheading of Khaled al-Asaad, keeper of Palmyra, unites Syria in condemnation

Admired for his work in documenting and promoting Syria's cultural heritage, Asaad was regarded as a national treasure by regime loyalists and opponents

Islamic State's execution of Khaled al-Asaad, the keeper of Palmyra's extraordinary cultural artefacts, has inspired a rare consensus among Syria's other political factions.

The archaeologist and historian reportedly opposed the 2011 uprising against the country's president, Bashar al-Assad, but his murder has provoked grief and condemnation from regime loyalists and opposition activists.