Syria recaptures Palmyra from IS
DAMASCUS: Syrian army units were clearing land mines and explosives left behind by Islamic State militants in the historic town of Palmyra on Friday, a day after government troops and allied militiamen recaptured it from the extremists, a Syrian security official said.
The military expects the process to be long and difficult due to the large number of mines planted by IS, he said, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with regulations. Syrian troops fully recaptured Palmyra on Thursday after a push that saw the militants’ defenses crumble and IS fighters flee in the face of artillery fire and intense Russiabacked airstrikes.
It’s the third time the town famed for its priceless Roman ruins and archaeological treasures IS had sought to destroy has changed hands in one year. The Syrian government seized the town from Islamic State militants last March, only to lose it again 10 months later.
Last spring, it took Russian demining experts weeks to clear the town from mines planted by IS. Before the civil war gripped Syria in 2011, Palmyra was a top tourist attraction, drawing tens of thousands of visitors each year.
Syrian state TV broadcast footage showing troops near the town’s archaeological site, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the historic citadel on Friday. Archeologists have decried what they say is extensive damage to Palmyra’s treasured ruins. AFP