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The Battle For Palmyra |
By
Stephen Lendman |
| Reports on Syrian forces battling ISIS for control over Palmyra indicate
its fighters seized at least most of the city. AMN News and South Front reported thousands of ISIS fighters took control of the city after initially being repelled. Government forces are regrouping for a counterattack. Russian media report city residents were evacuated. According to Sputnik News: “After the evacuation of all residents (Saturday) night, the Syrian Army has completely left the city of Palmyra. Fierce fighting against Daesh jihadists is going on in the city suburbs.” Thousands of ISIS fighters were redeployed from Mosul, Raqqa and Deir Ezzor with US help. Russia’s reconciliation center said “(d)espite heavy losses in manpower and hardware, the terrorists seek to come as close as possible and gain a foothold in the city, as the Russian Air Force is not conducting airstrikes against residential areas in the city of Palmyra.” In May 2015, ISIS seized the city, stealing precious artifacts along with destroying or heavily damaging numerous historic sites. In March 2016, Syrian forces drove them out, freeing it from the US-supported scourge. The battle for Palmyra comes in the wake of eastern Aleppo’s near total liberation, a stunning defeat for Obama’s imperial rampaging, his Syrian strategy in shambles. Attacking Palmyra likely intends to show Syria’s liberating struggle is far from over. ISIS and other terrorist groups continue getting support from Washington and its rogue allies. Obama formally announced it last week, waiving never observed legal restrictions to openly supply imported death squads with heavy weapons, largely used to massacre civilians. Palmyra is symbolically, not strategically, important. ISIS control may not last long. Syrian and allied forces with considerable Russian aerial support are determined to free the city once again. Still, the struggle to liberate Syria entirely from its US-supported terrorist scourge has miles to go. Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III." http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com. Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network. |