Syrian Government forces recaptured a Mamluk-era citadel in Palmyra from the extremist ISIS group on Friday, Syrian state media and monitoring groups said, as the fierce battle for control of the historic town entered its third day. Syrian and Russian warplanes struck at least 56 targets inside ISIS-held areas of the city and pro-Government militias supported the Army’s advance, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitoring group.
Palmyra has been controlled by the extremist group since May. The militants have destroyed some of its best known Roman-era archaeological relics.
Government forces Friday cut the road between Palmyra and another IS bastion, the town of Qaryatayn, weakening the group’s hold over its two central Syrian outposts, according to the pro-government lebanese Al-Mayadeen TV. The ISIS militants had been relying on Qaryatayn, which is now encircled, to reinforce Palmyra’s defense.
A video released by the ISIS news agency, dated Thursday and said to show Palmyra, depicted moderate to severe damage to the buildings in the town.