New victory for the Syrian armed forces backed by Russian warplanes near Palmyra 12503161

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The conflict in Syria
 
New victory for the Syrian armed forces backed by Russian warplanes near Palmyra.
Syrian army troops have seized a key district in a fierce advance into the Daesh (ISIS) stronghold of Palmyra and have reached the gates of the city’s Roman ruins, according to security sources.The state-run news channel Ikhbariya broadcast images from just outside Palmyra Thursday, March 24, 2016, and security sources said government fighters had taken over a hotel district in the west.
     
Syrian army troops have seized a key district in a fierce advance into the Daesh (ISIS) stronghold of Palmyra and have reached the gates of the city’s Roman ruins, according to security sources.The state-run news channel Ikhbariya broadcast images from just outside Palmyra Thursday, March 24, 2016, and security sources said government fighters had taken over a hotel district in the west. Syrian armed forces with T-62 main battle tank near the city of Palmyra.
     
The Syrian state news agency SANA showed warplanes flying overhead, helicopters firing missiles, and soldiers and armored vehicles, including tanks, approaching the city to join what the sources described as “ferocious fighting.”

The advance on Palmyra came after government forces, backed by Russian airstrikes, managed to capture several hills and high ground around the town this week.

The sources said dozens were killed on opposing sides, including a Russian special forces officer.

A soldier interviewed by Ikhbariya said the army and its allies would press forward beyond Palmyra.

The U.S.-led military coalition against Daesh said it had also struck targets in and around Palmyra, a rare example of the U.S.-led force attacking an area also under attack by Russian-backed government forces.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said Thursday it had carried out 41 sor- ties between March 20-23 in the region of Palmyra, attacking 146 “terrorist targets.”