Syrian air force strikes IS targets in ancient Palmyra city

Syrian air force has struck positions of Islamic State (IS) militants in the ancient city of Palmyra in central Syria, Syrian state TV reported on Monday.

Government warplanes carried out airstrikes on IS positions in the millennia-old city in Homs province, the report said, spelling no further details.

Meanwhile, governor of Homs province, Talal Barazi, reportedly said that the Syrian army will launch a counter offensive to recapture Palmyra.

The IS captured Palmyra last Wednesday, amid official media reports that the terrorist group massacred around 400 people, mostly women and children, in the city.

Both the residential parts and historic parts, which host 2,000-year-old monuments and temples, of Palmyra have fallen to the IS group.

An airbase, a central prison and the intelligence headquarters are all in IS hands now.

The IS offensive against Palmyra started on May 13. The group has since captured towns of Sukhneh and Amiriyeh, as well as al-Hail and Arak oilfields.

Mamoun Abdulkarim, general director of Syrian antiquities and museums, told Xinhua that government forces managed to transport all movable ancient items from Palmyra to safe areas.

Abdulkarim expressed great concern over the fate of old temples and monuments that cannot be moved.

Palmyra, a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization World Heritage site, contains monumental ruins of a city that was one of the most important cultural centers in ancient times. Endit