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Syrian army advances in Palmyra fighting

BEIRUT - Syrian soldiers advanced slowly in heavy fighting with Islamic State fighters near Palmyra's ancient ruins on Thursday, state media and a monitoring group said, in an offensive which could open up swathes of eastern Syria to government forces.

   

Syria's SANA news agency said that the army and an allied militia took more high ground overlooking the city, while the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported advances by the army amid what it said were heavy clashes.

 

Observatory director Rami Abdulrahman said the fighting had reached Palmyra's Roman-era ruins, located in the southwest of the city, where he said the army could not rely on air cover because of the risk of further damage to the ancient site.

 


פרסום ראשון: 03.25.16, 13:20