Syrian forces recapture ancient city of Palmyra from ISIS

Syrian forces prepare to retake Palmyra from the Islamic State.
(Image credit: Stringer/AFP/Getty Images)

For the second time in 12 months, the Syrian government says it has pushed Islamic State fighters out of the historic city of Palmyra.

ISIS militants first gained control of Palmyra in May 2015, and killed residents and destroyed ancient buildings, artifacts, and monuments like the 2,000-year-old Temple of Bel before Syrian forces were able to recapture the city in May 2016. While the Syrian government was focused on fighting rebels in Aleppo, ISIS slipped back into Palmyra in December 2016 and once again took control of the city.

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Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.