ISIS Says It’s In Full Control of Ancient City, Nearby Airport and Prison

ISIS said it was in full control of the ancient city of Palmyra on Thursday following a bloody battle with Syrian pro-government forces, a gain rife with strategic as well as historical implications.

 

In a statement labeled “Breaking News,” ISIS announced the victory in Palmyra and said its fighters were in control of the “notorious” nearby prison and airport. The statement — released by the ISIS authority in Homs and distributed by the group’s supporters on Twitter — said that retreating pro-government forces had left behind “large numbers” of their dead.

 

Syrian state TV acknowledged that pro-government forces had withdrawn from Palmyra — marking what appeared to be the first time ISIS had directly seized a city from forces loyal to President Bashar Assad.

 

The capture of Palmyra gives the militants as much of a strategic gem as a cultural one. While the city is home to a UNESCO world heritage site and famous for its 2,000-year-old ruins — there are many other prizes in line for ISIS to potentially plunder.

 

Read More: Palmyra: ISIS Says It’s In Full Control of Ancient City, Nearby Airport and Prison – NBC News.com