ISIS Update 3/27/2016..Syrian Army Completely Retakes Palmyra from ISIS

Syrian army retakes Palmyra from ISIS

Battle of Palmyra

Footage of Ancient Palmyra after Syrian Army recaptured it from ISIS

Syrian Army inside Palmyra airbase after liberating it from ISIS

Reinforcements arrive from Palmyra as SAA gears up for Qaryatayn battle vs. ISIS

https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/reinforcements-arrive-palmyra-saa-gears-qaryatayn-battle-vs-isis/ | Al-Masdar News

https://media.almasdarnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Qaryatayn-map2.jpg

Additionally, Syrian volunteers from the National Defence Forces (NDF) of Sadad and Mahin have also joined forces with government troops on the perimeter of Qaryatayn.

This comes as dozens of airstrikes are currently striking the city while artillery units are simultaneously bombarding ISIS fighters stationed there. With hundreds of soldiers arriving at Qaryatayn, this military build-up hints at a major government offensive to happen imminently on ISIS defenders inside the city.

Meanwhile, the Syrian Navy Marines and Desert Hawks Brigade have also been ordered to pull out of Palmyra by the Syrian High Command. These units will now return to their previous duties inside the Lattakian governorate and continue their operations with the long-term goal of capturing Jisr al-Shigbour city from Islamist rebels in Idlib. In total, prior to today’s redeployments, over 6.000 government soldiers were deployed at the Palmyra frontline.

While the Syrian Arab Army has captured all high-points surrounding the city of Qaryatayn (confirmed), other reports indicate that ISIS has been left a small strategic line of retreat. If Islamic State commanders opt for the full withdrawal option, this would in turn avoid civilian casualties in the densely populated city of Qaryatayn. However, if local ISIS commanders concede Qaryatayn city to government forces, this would serve as a huge blow to the moral of ISIS fighters who have witnessed the Islamic State caliphate gradually deteriorate over the past 6 months, largely due to Russian airstrikes.

Airstrikes rain on Qaryatayn city as Syrian Army mobilizes to storm ISIS
 

https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/airstrikes-rain-on-qaryatayn-city-syrian-army-storm-isis/ | Al-Masdar News

With an estimated 15.000 non-belligerent residents inside the Qaryatayn, ISIS was formally requested to retreat from the city last week as to avoid civilian casualties; however, they refused to do so and have since been encircled by government troops. With all hilltops arround the city captured, combined troops of the Syrian Armed Forces are currently massing to attack ISIS insurgents inside the city. Sources close to Al-Masdar News suggest the city might very well be stormed any minute now. With Palmyra entirely captured from Islamic State fighters as of yesterday evening, the momentum in eastern Homs currently seems to favor the Syrian Government and its army. Remarkably, if the Syrian Arab Army is able to capture Qaryatayn, this will allow them to reopen the M7-Highway from Damascus to Palmyra which has been closed for years due to the skirmishes with various Islamist groups in the countryside of Homs and Damascus.

Field Commander of the Desert Falcons: “We Thank Putin for the Liberation of Palmyra”

The field commander of the Syrian “Desert Falcons” army brigade, in an interview with RT, commented on the joint government army operation for the liberation of the ancient city of Palmyra from the terrorists. He expressed gratitude to Vladimir Putin on behalf of the Syrian people and noted that while other countries have supported the terrorists, Russia assisted the residents and the army of Syria against the “Islamic State”.

“Everything happened in several stages. Our army was able to surround and return Palmyra. The main difficulty was that the terrorists had left a lot of mines on the roads,” he said. According to him, they have managed to clear some roads, but the work is still ongoing. He also emphasized that this victory would not have been possible without the support of Russia and President Vladimir Putin.

“For this victory we thank President Putin, who helped our country and our army, unlike other countries that supported terrorists. We say a big thank you on behalf of our government and people, we respect and love the Russian people,” said the field commander. The international lawyer Franklin Lamb thinks that the Syrian army and its allies will continue to move towards the city of Raqqa to fight the terrorists who fled there.

According to recent reports, the bomb squad of the Syrian Army has already begun to sweep the surviving buildings. Presumably, focal weak resistance from the terrorists continues in the area of the airfield, but the army and militias are in full control of the city.

The ancient ruins of Palmyra are one of the six world heritage sites of UNESCO in Syria. After the city was captured, its many monuments were under the threat of destruction. In particular, terrorists from ISIS destroyed the Balsamina and Bel temples. The extremists also blew up funeral columns and the triumphal arch, which was a symbol of Palmyra. 

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