Islamic State ‘in full control’ of ancient Syrian city of Palmyra

Islamic State fighters have entered the ruins of Palmyra after overnight fighting saw them take complete control of the historic city, according to a monitoring group. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said there had been no destruction so far at the UNESCO World Heritage Site, which includes 2,000-year-old temples and colonnaded streets. It reported that IS now holds Palmyra’s military air base, prison and intelligence headquarters, meaning it controls more than 50% of Syria’s total territory. More than 100 Syrian government troops were reported to have been killed in the clashes.

The Islamic State organisation has now established almost complete control over the area from Palmyra to the Syrian-Iraqi border and onwards to the Syrian-Jordanian frontier.

Rami Abdul Rahman, SOHR

Pro-government forces have now withdrawn from Palmyra, according to Syrian state media. Hundreds of statues and artefacts were taken to safer locations ahead of the IS offensive but many larger items, such as stone tombs, could not be moved. Syrian antiquities director Maamoun Abdulkarim had warned that IS fighters would “destroy everything” if they seized Palmyra. The militant group has already destroyed antiquities at the ancient Assyrian city of Nimrud and the Roman-era city of Hatra.

It is highly significant on a cultural level as Palmyra is one of the great jewels of the world.

Maamoun Abdulkarim

Palmyra Middle East