01:59Syria: Drone captures ancient Palmyra after Syrian army enters the city
Drone footage of Palmyra's ancient ruins was released on Sunday, showing the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) retaking full control of the city from Islamic State militants who had been in control of the UNESCO World Heritage site since May 2015.
The SAA seized control of the Fakhr-al-Din al-Maani castle, which overlooks the city on Friday, after fierce fighting against militants of the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS; formerly ISIS/ISIL). The victory over the militant group has been hailed by monitoring groups as its biggest single defeat since IS declared a caliphate in June 2014. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, scattered gunfire could still be heard in the eastern part of the city, however most of the militants had been driven out after relentless attacks from Syrian forces who were bolstered by Russian air power and government-allied militias.
Palmyra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, formerly known for housing some of the best-preserved monuments of antiquity anywhere in the world. Since capturing the city, IS militants have blown up the 2,000-year-old Temple of Bel, and the Arch of Triumph, and have used the Roman-era amphitheater for filmed public executions. The UN's cultural agency described the groups' archaeological demolishing as a 'war crime.'
01:59Drone footage of Palmyra's ancient ruins was released on Sunday, showing the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) retaking full control of the city from Islamic State militants who had been in control of the UNESCO World Heritage site since May 2015.
The SAA seized control of the Fakhr-al-Din al-Maani castle, which overlooks the city on Friday, after fierce fighting against militants of the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS; formerly ISIS/ISIL). The victory over the militant group has been hailed by monitoring groups as its biggest single defeat since IS declared a caliphate in June 2014. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, scattered gunfire could still be heard in the eastern part of the city, however most of the militants had been driven out after relentless attacks from Syrian forces who were bolstered by Russian air power and government-allied militias.
Palmyra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, formerly known for housing some of the best-preserved monuments of antiquity anywhere in the world. Since capturing the city, IS militants have blown up the 2,000-year-old Temple of Bel, and the Arch of Triumph, and have used the Roman-era amphitheater for filmed public executions. The UN's cultural agency described the groups' archaeological demolishing as a 'war crime.'