ISIS militants have destroyed ancient remains of the 2,000-year-old city of Hatra in northern Iraq, the tourism and antiquities ministry said on Saturday.

An official told Reuters that the ministry had received reports from its employees in the northern city of Mosul, which is under the control of the terrorist group, that the site at Hatra had been demolished on Saturday.

The official said it was difficult to confirm the reports and the ministry had not received any pictures showing the extent of the damage at Hatra, which was named a world heritage site in 1987.

But a resident in the area told media he heard a powerful explosion early on Saturday and said that other people nearby had reported that ISIS militants had destroyed some of the larger buildings in Hatra and were bulldozing other parts.

Hatra lies about 110 km (70 miles) south of Mosul, the largest city under ISIS control. A week ago the militants released a video showing them smashing statues and carvings in the city's museum, home to priceless Assyrian and Hellenistic artefacts dating back 3,000 years.