Islamic State pushing back to Syria’s Palmyra

11 May 2016, 6:41 pm

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Islamic State militants advance toward the Syrian city of Palmyra, threatening to besiege the world-famous ancient site only several weeks after the government recaptured it from the extremists.

Media allied with the group and other activists say IS fighters seized a strategically located but deserted rocket-launching site close to an air base less than 60 kilometers from Palmyra. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and other activists confirm the IS advance.

The capture of the deserted site “helps in severing the supply routes of the (Syrian) army from T-4 base to Palmyra, and tightening the siege on the city,” says the IS-linked Al-Bayan radio station.

— AP