Palmyra is under the full control of Syrian forces

The Dhaka Times Desk The ancient Syrian city of Palmyra has come under the full control of Syrian forces. The Islamic State has been driven out by the government forces and has taken full control of the country.

This news was reported by the Independent newspaper citing the Syrian government news agency. Syrian state television cited military sources as saying the Syrian army and militias had taken full control of Palmyra.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said some gunfire could still be heard in the eastern part of the city. However, most of the IS fighters have fled to the east, relinquishing control of Palmyra to government forces.

It should be noted that the destroyed ancient Roman city of Palmyra and the adjacent modern city were captured by IS militants in May last year. After the occupation, the extremist militant group IS destroyed 2 temples, 1 pylon and other structures in Palmyra. This incident caused a strong reaction worldwide. The United Nations cultural organization UNESCO also strongly condemned this destruction as a war crime. The destruction of this ancient tradition continues to be protested worldwide.