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Palmyra: Russia-
backed Syria army
retakes ancient
city
Jointoperationinvolving
RussianairpowerandShia
militiaforcesISILtoretreat
againfromhistoriccity.
SyriansoldiersrecapturedPalmyrafrom
ISILoncebeforeinApril,2016[File:Omar
Sanadiki/Reuters]
TheSyrianarmysaidithasrecapturedthe
ancientcityofPalmyrafromISILforthesecond
timeinayearwithhelpfromalliedforcesand
Russianwarplanes.
TheIslamicStateofIraqandtheLevantgroup
seizedPalmyrainasurpriseadvanceinDecember
afterhavingbeendrivenouteightmonthsbefore.
"WithbackingfromtheSyrianandRussianair
forces,unitsofourarmedforcesrecapturedthe
cityofPalmyra,incooperationwiththeallies,"
themilitarysaidinastatement.
Jaafari: Opposition holding Geneva talks
'hostage'
Thearmyand
Iranianbacked
militiaadvanced
insidePalmyraon
ThursdayasISIL
withdrewcompletely, Syria'swar:
theSyrian Russiansofferto
Observatoryfor rebuildPalmyra
HumanRights,a
Britainbasedwarmonitor,said.
ISILretreatedtoareasintheeast,theSyrian
Observatoryreported.Governmentforcestook
controlofswathesofPalmyraandconducted
combingoperationstoclearlandmines,itsaid.
DuringISIL'sfirstoccupation,whichendedin
Marchlastyear,thearmedgroupdestroyedsome
ofPalmyra'spricelessarchaeologicalheritage.It
isbelievedtohaverazedotherpartsofthe
historicalruinsafterregainingcontrolin
December.
TheSyrianarmyisalsofightingISILeastof
Aleppocity,whereitispushingtoreachthe
EuphratesRiver,andinthecityofDeiralZor,
whereitcontrolsanenclavebesiegedbyfighters.
ISILisonthebackfootinSyriaafterlosing
territoryinthenorthtoanallianceofUSbacked
Kurdishledmilitias,andtoTurkeybacked
Syrianrebelgroups.
Governmentandoppositiondelegationsare
attendingUNsponsoredpeacetalksinGeneva,
wherethegovernment'schiefnegotiatorhailed
SyrianPresidentBasharalAssadforkeepinghis
promisetoretakePalmyra.
TheSyrianopposition,however,declinedto
congratulateAssadoncapturingPalmyraand
suggestedthecitychanginghandsagainwas
possible.
ISIL pulls back from Palmyra
BeforethecivilwargrippedSyriain2011,
Palmyrawasatoptouristattraction,drawingtens
ofthousandsofvisitorseachyear.
Syrianstatetelevisionbroadcastfootageshowing
troopsnearthetown'sarchaeologicalsite,a
UNESCOWorldHeritageSite,andthehistoric
citadelonFriday.
Archeologistshavedecriedwhattheysayis
extensivedamagetoPalmyra'streasuredruins.
DronefootagereleasedbyRussia'sDefence
MinistrylastmonthshowednewdamageISIL
hadinflictedtothefacadeofPalmyra'sRoman
eratheatreandtheadjoiningTetrapylonasetof
fourmonumentswithfourcolumnseachatthe
centreofthecolonnadedroadleadingtothe
theatre.
ISILhasdestroyedscoresofancientsitesacross
itsselfstyledcaliphateinSyriaandIraq,viewing
themasmonumentstoidolatry.
MaamounAbduKarim,theheadofthe
AntiquitiesandMuseumsDepartmentinSyria,
toldTheAssociatedPressonThursdaythistime
aroundthedamagetotheruinsseemedlessin
magnitude.
"Wehadexpectedtheworst.However,the
damage,accordingtotheavailablephotos,
appearslimited,"hesaid.
ButISILisnottheonlysideinSyria'scivilwar,
nowinitssixthyear,thathasdamagedPalmyra.
A2014reportbyaUNresearchagencydisclosed
satelliteevidenceoflootingwhiletheruinswere
underSyrianmilitarycontrol.Oppositionfighters
havealsoadmittedlootingtheantiquitiesfor
funds.
Source:Newsagencies
Middle East Syria's Civil War ISIS
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