palmyra
© Gustau Nacarino / ReutersColumns are seen in the historical city of Palmyra, Syria
Syrian Army troops and militias allied with them are pushing back Islamic State fighters from Palmyra, the city where the terrorists destroyed precious historic artifacts after capturing it last year, media reports say.

Pro-Damascus forces have ousted the militants of IS (formerly known as ISIS/ISIL) from the northern hotel district, a RIA Novosti correspondent reported. They are also advancing in the historic part of the city, which had been vandalized by IS, Itar-Tass reported citing a Damascus military source as saying.

The governor of the Homs province, Talal al-Barazi, told AP on Thursday that the Syrian Army could completely liberate the city in 48 hours.


Palmyra, a historically and symbolically significant Syrian city, was overrun by IS troops last May. The jihadists have since destroyed UNESCO-listed temples and looted relics dating back thousands of years.

Damascus was able to launch an offensive to retake the desert city in the east of the country after a US and Russia-brokered truce between the Syrian government and armed opposition groups allowed the army to use more forces against terrorist groups.

The army reached the outskirts of Palmyra on Wednesday after taking control of the surrounding areas with the help of air cover provided by Syrian and Russian warplanes.

Russia's airstrikes in Syria targeting terrorist troops were the key to bolstering the Syrian Army's strength and turning the tide of the war. Moscow has announced that it is significantly scaling down its military presence in Syria as the truce appears to be holding up.


Comment: The Russians have been pounding Daesh with airstrikes to make the way for the Syrians' ground operation. From the Russian MOD's daily ceasefire bulletin:
On March 20-23, the Russian Aerospace Forces carried out 41 sorties near Palmyra (Homs province) engaging 146 military objects of terrorists. The aircraft have eliminated 6 control centres, more than 320 terrorists, 5 tanks, 6 artillery guns, 2 depots with munitions, and 15 pieces of automobile hardware.
But it looks like Daesh is planning a separate offensive in Aleppo:
According to the information, which had been received from citizens of the Aleppo province, the ISIS militants are concentrating near Khan Khafira, Marran, Shamir, Umm Adasa, and Deir Anta. Concentration of these forces is the evidence of preparing for offensive against positions of the government troops in the province by terrorists.