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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| 7 Syrian regulars die as ISIS mounts attack in Palmyra |
| 2016-05-21 |
| [ARA News] HOMS – At least seven Syrian army forces were killed and a dozen more injured in renewed offensives by militant fighters of the Islamic State (ISIS) near the ancient city of Palmyra in Homs province, local sources reported on Friday. ISIS militants attacked the Syrian regime troops near the military airport of Palmyra east of the city, destroying two military vehicles and killing seven soldiers. “The ISIS-led offensive on the military airport took place after the militants infiltrated into an army position and detonated several explosive devices. The initial death toll among the army ranks has so far reached 7 and 11 more were wounded in the attack,” local media activist Imad al-Hussein told ARA News in Palmyra. Also on Friday, ISIS fighters attacked a Syrian army position near the al-Shaer oil field in Homs province with mortar shells. It was not immediately clear how many forces were killed in the al-Shaer attack. “The Syrian army forces and allied militias are now on alert in Palmyra and other parts of Homs due to the intensified ISIS attacks on their positions in the past few days,” al-Hussein reported. Violence resumed last Sunday in Syria’s ancient city of Palmyra, which was regained by Syrian army forces –supported by Russian air cover– from militants of the Islamic State (ISIS) in March. Subsequent to clashes with the Syrian army forces, ISIS militants on Sunday captured two hills near Mount Bin Ali in Palmyra suburbs, according to military sources and local activists. “ISIS militants launched a surprise attack on Syrian army headquarters in northwestern Palmyra. Fierce clashes took place in the vicinity of Mount Bin Ali, and ISIS fighters were eventually able to seize control of two hills that overlook the ancient city,” media activist Amro al-Hussain told ARA News in Palmyra. The source added that the Syrian army troops withdrew towards their headquarters inside the city of Palmyra. At least four Syrian soldiers were killed in the clashes, and ISIS was reportedly able to seize a deal of ammunitions and light weapons subsequent to the army’s withdrawal. A Syrian army officer, who spoke to ARA News on condition of anonymity, confirmed the ISIS-led offensive in northwestern Palmyra, describing the army’s retreat as “a tactical withdrawal”. “The terrorist group launched a surprise attack on an army position on Sunday evening. However, the clashes are still ongoing and those two hills will be regained very soon, since Daesh cannot make further movements towards the city because our army forces are heavily deployed in Palmyra suburbs,” he said, using an acronym for ISIS. The army officer pointed out that the two hills that fell to ISIS were “not of strategic importance”, adding that the army’s withdrawal was to avoid “unnecessary losses”. In May 2015, ISIS took over Palmyra after fierce battles with Syrian regime army forces. In March 2016, the pro-regime troops supported by Russian air force were able to impose full control over Palmyra downtown after ISIS extremists retreated towards the northern villages of Palmyra and its eastern outskirts. The group’s leadership has later ordered its militants to withdraw towards its main bastion of Raqqa, northeastern Syria. In August 2015, satellite images confirmed the destruction of the Baal Shamin temple in Syria’s ancient city of Palmyra, according to the United Nations, which condemned ISIS claims of destroying the temple. The U.N. has slammed the destruction of the temple as a “war crime,” and the act has raised concerns for the rest of the UNESCO World Heritage site. Also, ISIS published images last August, showing militants placing explosives into the temple in order to destroy the ancient monuments arguing they are worshipped by people and must be smashed, according to ISIS ideology. |
| Posted by:badanov |
| #1 |
| Posted by: Shaiting Tholuse9956 2016-05-21 11:33 |