Palmyra under Full Control: Syrian Army Commander
DAMASCUS (Tasnim) – A senior Syrian military commander rejected reports that the ancient city of Palmyra in the west-central Homs Province has fallen into the hands of Daesh (ISIL or ISIS) terrorists, stressing that the city is in full control of the Syrian army and their allies.
Foreign media outlets are spreading false news about the latest developments in Palmyra, Colonel Foad Khodhoor told Tasnim dispatches on Sunday.
He further noted that reports that Daesh militants on Saturday captured most of Palmyra after breaking through Syrian army defenses and securing the heights around the ancient city in eastern Syria following a surprise assault is completely “baseless” and part of a foreign-backed physiological war against the government.
Reuters in a report on Saturday announced that Daesh militants had re-entered Palmyra after heavy fighting with the Syrian government forces.
Khodhoor added that reinforcements have been deployed to the areas and the ancient city is under the full control of the Syrian forces.
Heavy clashes were underway between government forces and the terrorists on Saturday, but the militants were flushed out the city after the Syrian Air Force, backed Russian warplanes, heavily pounded their positions.
Daesh overran the town in May last year, and systematically destroyed temples and tower tombs at the town’s UNESCO World Heritage site, before being pushed out by government forces and their allies.
Syrian army and allied forces are also busy driving the Takfiri terrorists from the strategic northwestern city of Aleppo. On Friday, government forces liberated 52 blocks in the eastern parts of the city and are now in control of 93 percent of the whole city, according to the Russian Defense Ministry.
The recent army gains come despite the persistent financial and military support that many foreign states have been providing to the militants since 2011 to bring about the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad.
