Page 9 - ATODAY NEW
P. 9
WORLD NEWS 9
Monday 4 April 2016
After Palmyra, Syrian troops capture another town from IS
ALBERT AJI mer that Qaryatain had Syrian soldiers explain the military operation to clear Palmyra to journalists, in the ancient city of
BASSEM MROUE a mixed population of
Associated Press around 40,000 Sunni Mus- Palmyra in the central city of Homs, Syria. A week after taking back the historic town of Palmyra,
DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — A lims and Christians, as well
week after taking back the as thousands of internally Syrian troops and their allies on Sunday captured another town controlled by the Islamic State
historic town of Palmyra, displaced people who had
Syrian troops and their al- fled from the nearby city of group in central Syria, state media reported. (AP Photo)
lies on Sunday captured Homs. Many of the Chris-
another town controlled by tians fled the town after it gas pipelines in the area Mayadeen TV also speak- verge of collapse.” Abdur-
the Islamic State group in came under IS attack. will be secured and IS sup- ing from inside Qaryatain. rahman added that the
central Syria, state media Dozens of Qaryatain’s ply routes between eastern He added that IS had sui- extremists are withdrawing
reported. Christians and other resi- desert and the Qalamoun cide attackers who were toward eastern parts of the
The push into the town of dents have been abduct- region will be cut. trying to block the push by mountainous Qalamoun
Qaryatain took place un- ed by the extremists. While A Syrian army general, the army into the town. region.
der the cover of Russian the town was under IS con- speaking live from Qa- The Britain-based Syr- The Observatory reported
airstrikes and dealt another trol, some were released, ryatain with the Lebanon- ian Observatory for Human later in the day that IS fight-
setback to the IS extremists others were made to sign based Al-Mayadeen TV, Rights said intense fighting ers have withdrawn from
in Syria. An activist group pledges to pay a tax im- said troops are now dis- was underway in Qaryatain much of the town toward
that monitors the Syrian posed on non-Muslims. mantling bombs placed by as government troops fight the eastern suburbs of Qa-
civil war said that govern- While IS extremists blew up extremists and will prepare to capture all parts of the ryatain.
ment forces are in control and destroyed some of the to launch fresh attacks on town. The Observatory’s IS has suffered major de-
of most of the town after IS world’s most precious rel- areas held by IS. chief Rami Abdurrahman feats in Syria in recent
fighters withdrew to its east- ics at Palmyra’s archaeo- “Fighting was going from said that IS fighters are still in months amid intense air-
ern outskirts. logical sites during their one house to another,” an- control of small areas east strikes by Russian war-
The advance came a 10-month reign there, the other army officer told Al- of the town but “are on the planes.
week after Syrian forces ancient Saint Eliane Mon-
recaptured Palmyra from astery near Qaryatain was
IS and is strategically sig- also bulldozed and de-
nificant for the government stroyed shortly after IS took
side. The capture of Qarya- the town in August.
tain deprives IS of a main Christians make up about
base in central Syria and 10 percent of Syria’s pre-
could be used by govern- war population of 23 million
ment forces in the future to people.
launch attacks on IS-held The Syrian army command
areas near the Iraqi border. said in a statement that
Qaryatain used to be troops have “restored se-
home to a sizable Chris- curity and stability to Qa-
tian population and lies ryatain and farms surround-
midway between Palmyra ing it.” The statement, read
and the capital, Damas- by an army general on
cus. Activists said last sum- state TV, said the oil and
