While the ongoing Syrian ceasefire has stopped the fighting between the military and most rebel factions, the explicit exclusion of ISIS from the deal has allowed everyone to target ISIS territory with impunity. For the Syrian government, that attention has centered on Palmyra.
An ancient oasis town, Palmyra is itself largely unpopulated, but adjacent to a key, similarly ISIS-held city called Tadmur. The Syrian state media reports that the most recent offensive aimed at retaking the area has killed or wounded scores of ISIS fighters.
Russia took credit for the push against Palmyra, saying they laid the groundwork for the attack. US officials have reported Russian artillery and helicopter attacks against Palmyra.
Though there had been no reports of Russian troops on the ground in that battle, ISIS claimed to have killed five Russian soldiers, along with six Syrian soldiers, and several Hezbollah, in the fighting. The Russians may well have been the “mercenaries” the Assad government has been recruiting, retired Russian soldiers with no direct Russian government ties.
If ISIS can be routed from Syria, that will be a positive thing for peace and security in the world.
Forgetting morality, just from the standpoint of survival, I don’t see how we could in combat — ever overpower Russia.
The author doesnt even know that Tadmur is the arabic name for Palmyra. So how can i trust anything else he writes.
Not exactly. Both ancient Palmyra and present Tadmur are usually called “Palmyra” in English, but they are two different places.
Thank you, I was unaware of that.
So was I — I had to look it up.