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Islamic State seizes ancient Palmyra city from Syrian forces
reuters.com ^ | May 20, 2015 | Sylvia Westall and Tom Perry

Posted on 05/20/2015 10:49:30 PM PDT by Berlin_Freeper

Islamic State insurgents stormed the historic Syrian city of Palmyra on Wednesday, fighting off pro-government forces who withdrew after evacuating most of the civilian population, state television said.

The capture of Palmyra is the first time the al Qaeda offshoot has taken control of a city directly from the Syrian army and allied forces, which have already lost ground in the northwest and south to other insurgent groups in recent weeks.

The central city, also known as Tadmur, is built alongside the remains of a oasis civilization whose colonnaded streets, temple and theater have stood for 2,000 years.

Islamic State has destroyed antiquities and ancient monuments in neighboring Iraq and is being targeted by U.S.-led air strikes in both countries.

Syria's antiquities chief called on the world to save its ancient monuments and state television said Islamic State fighters were trying to enter the city's historical sites.

(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Syria
KEYWORDS:

1 posted on 05/20/2015 10:49:30 PM PDT by Berlin_Freeper
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To: Berlin_Freeper

this is starting to sound like ww3


2 posted on 05/20/2015 10:52:52 PM PDT by AlmaKing
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To: Berlin_Freeper

Here it comes.


3 posted on 05/20/2015 10:55:00 PM PDT by firebrand
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To: Berlin_Freeper
a significant victory for Isis. The gas fields are crucial because the militant group can then control the supply and sell electricity to regime-held areas, and seizing the town would open the road to Damascus and Homs, crucial regime strongholds, and sever supply lines to Deir Ezzor in the east, where Isis is also fighting the regime.
4 posted on 05/20/2015 10:55:36 PM PDT by Berlin_Freeper
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To: Berlin_Freeper
The Temple of Baal
Condition: partially ruined
5 posted on 05/20/2015 10:58:48 PM PDT by Berlin_Freeper
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To: Berlin_Freeper

6 posted on 05/20/2015 11:01:30 PM PDT by Vince Ferrer
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To: Berlin_Freeper

7 posted on 05/20/2015 11:02:05 PM PDT by Vince Ferrer
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To: Berlin_Freeper

They’ll level the antiques and move on with a renewed zeal to eliminate all signs of a non Muslim past. Coming soon to a neighborhood near you.


8 posted on 05/20/2015 11:02:56 PM PDT by JimSEA
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To: AlmaKing

Not yet. Hang on a bit.


9 posted on 05/20/2015 11:11:14 PM PDT by SaveFerris (Be a blessing to a stranger today for some have entertained angels unaware)
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To: Berlin_Freeper
Palmyra: the 'Venice of the Sands' - Professor Kevin Butcher
Palmyra is the last place anyone would expect to find a forest of stone columns and arches. But for anyone visiting, the key reason for the site's prosperity becomes immediately apparent: ancient Palmyra sits at the edge of an oasis of date palms and gardens.

For such a remote city, Palmyra occupies a prominent place in Middle Eastern history. From modest beginnings in the 1st Century BC, the city gradually rose to prominence under the aegis of Rome until, during the 3rd Century AD, the city's rulers challenged Roman power and created an empire of their own that stretched from Turkey to Egypt.

Palmyra was a great Middle Eastern achievement, and was unlike any other city of the Roman Empire. Like Venice, the city formed the hub of a vast trade network, only with the desert as its sea and camels as its ships.

10 posted on 05/20/2015 11:15:32 PM PDT by Berlin_Freeper
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To: Berlin_Freeper
second significant strategic gain for the group in the past week
11 posted on 05/20/2015 11:21:04 PM PDT by Berlin_Freeper
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To: Berlin_Freeper

Its starting to look like muslim countries really want the IS to be in control since they’re response to them is tepid.


12 posted on 05/20/2015 11:40:06 PM PDT by RginTN
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To: Berlin_Freeper

Notice how “Shia forces” have been amassing outside Ramadia now for.... 48 hours. This is becoming like the attack on Mosul, it’s just not happening.


13 posted on 05/21/2015 12:35:32 AM PDT by Viennacon
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And the libtards are blaming Bush. Another example of their commitment to Marxism if not unmitigated stupidity.


14 posted on 05/21/2015 12:56:43 AM PDT by Gene Eric (Don't be a statist!)
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To: Berlin_Freeper

“Beibares Tellawi, an activist in Homs province, said the militants had reached the notorious Tadmur prison, where thousands of Syrian dissidents have been imprisoned and tortured over the years.”
“The fate of the prisoners, believed to number around 1,000, was not immediately known, although some ISIS supporters suggested on Twitter today that they had been liberated.”

That’s another 1000 to their ranks!


15 posted on 05/21/2015 1:33:23 AM PDT by Viennacon
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To: AlmaKing

Can’t be. ISIS is the JV team.


16 posted on 05/21/2015 2:31:46 AM PDT by 9thLife ("Life is a military endeavor..." -- Francis)
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To: Berlin_Freeper

Jug Ears says global warming is the greatest threat to national security....


17 posted on 05/21/2015 3:06:20 AM PDT by njslim
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