The Islamic State jihadist group recaptured at Palmyra on Sunday after Syrian armed forces pulled out of the desert city, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says.
“Despite the ongoing air raids, IS retook all of Palmyra after the Syrian army withdrew south of the city,” says Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman.
The Russian Defense Ministry said it carried out 64 airstrikes overnight that killed 300 IS militants and destroyed vehicles and artillery. The head of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says the militants were driven out before dawn, but regrouped and attacked from the northeast.
A Russian army soldier looks on as sappers check for mines in the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra, April 7, 2016. (AFP/Max DELANY)
The jihadists made a lightning-fast advance across the city after overrunning a northern neighborhood and capturing the famed citadel to Palmyra’s west.
The IS-linked Amaq news agency also reports that IS has regained “full control” of the city on Sunday after taking the citadel, which overlooks Palmyra from a strategic hilltop.
IS launched an offensive last week near Palmyra, a renowned UNESCO World Heritage site.
— Agencies
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