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.

Russia is an ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and Russian media said Thursday that Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu told President Vladimir Putin Syrian troops were able to retake the city because of help from the Russian air force. The monitoring group Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Wednesday heavy shelling was reported across Palmyra, and as they ran out of town, ISIS militants left behind land mines.

Article continues below

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Explore More

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.