The Syrian
troops liquidated on Saturday the terrorists’ stronghold in Al-Amiria, the
northern district of Palmyra.
BEIRUT, March 27. /TASS. The Syrian government troops
and people’s militia fighters have fully liberated the ancient town of Palmyra
located 215 km (133.5 miles) from Damascus, the Syrian Army’s command said in a
statement on Sunday.
"Our troops have established full control of the
town and are chasing the remainder of the retreating gangs of Islamic State
terrorists," the statement said.
The Syrian troops liquidated on Saturday the terrorists’
stronghold in Al-Amiria, the northern district of Palmyra.
The militants were
pushed back from the barracks in the districts of al-Mutaqaidin and Jamiyat.
The Syrian government troops also captured the local dominating height to
control the road to the north to the towns of Deir ez-Zor and Raqqa on the
Euphrates.
SANA news agency earlier reported that militants had
destroyed the ancient fortress of Emir Fakhr-al-Din on the entrance to Palmyra
from the side of Homs. In less than a year of IS control, militants destroyed
the famous Arch of Triumph, Temple of Baalshamin and Temple of Ba’al. They also
looted the Palmyra Museum and Necropolis.
Palmyra, a UNESCO world heritage site, was captured by
the Islamic State terrorist group at the beginning of last summer. The Syrian
authorities said at that time that the unique historical site could share the
sad fate of the Iraqi cities of Ashur, Nimrud and Hatra (al-Hadr) destroyed by
militants.
The Islamic State terrorist group seized Palmyra early
in the summer of 2015. The Syrian authorities warned at that time that the
unique historical complex could repeat the sad fate of the ancient Iraqi cities
of Ashur and Nimrud, which had been fully ruined and eliminated by militants.
Most Palmyra residents left the city last May together
with the Syrian government troops. Now there are from 15,000 to 20,000 people
there.
Source: ITAR-TASS 27-03-2016
