Syria army takes control of areas near Palmyra

Iran Press TV

Wed Jul 8, 2015 12:23PM

The Syrian army has reportedly pushed militants with the ISIL Takfiri terrorist group from three areas near the ancient city of Palmyra in the country's central province of Homs.

On Wednesday, the official Syrian Arab News Agency reported that the army had established full control over Nazl Hayyal, al-Qadiri farm, and Thaniet al-Rajma in Palmyra's surroundings.

A number of ISIL terrorists were killed in army airstrikes that had targeted their gatherings in Palmyra and its surroundings.

On May 21, ISIL extremists took control of Palmyra, which is an ancient city on the list of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)'s World Heritage sites and is situated about 215 kilometers (133 miles) northeast of the Syrian capital Damascus.

SANA also reported that army units had, in cooperation with Internal Security forces and national backup forces, taken control of the al-Lailiyeh neighborhood in Hasakah, the capital of a northeastern Syria province of the same name, after destroying the last hideouts of ISIL terrorists in the area.

Syria has been facing foreign-sponsored militancy since March 2011. The violence fueled by Takfiri terrorist groups has reportedly left over 230,000 people dead so far.

HN/KA/HMV