Syrian gov't forces reach outskirts of IS-held Palmyra city

Syrian government forces have become close to the outskirts of the millennia-old city of Palmyra in central Syria, which is held by the Islamic State (IS) group, a monitor group reported on Wednesday.

The Syrian forces, backed by Russian airstrikes, have approached the outskirts of Palmyra, following days of intense battles for recapture of the city in eastern countryside of the central province of Homs, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The UK-based watchdog group said intense battles are raging at the southern and southwestern outskirts of Palmyra between the Syrian forces and the IS militants.

It added that the Syrian army is heavily shelling the IS positions inside Palmyra amid heavy airstrikes against the terror group.

The progress came just a day after the Syrian forces captured all hills and highlands surrounding Palmyra, according to pan-Arab al-Mayadeen TV.

The progress secured the Syrian army progress on the western entrance of Palmyra, which supported by joint Russian-Syrian airstrikes.

Since capturing it last May, the terror-labeled IS group destroyed the city's notorious military prison and several Islamic tombs.

The IS also put on public executions of government soldiers and people accused of working for the government.

Palmyra contains the monumental ruins of a great city that was one of the most important cultural centers of the ancient world.

Syria has many prehistoric, Greek, Byzantine and Islamic heritages. Before the crisis, Syria had attracted many multinational archaeological missions coming for searching new clues of historical facts on the development of civilizations. Endit