Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

World

Syria’s Assad hails Palmyra capture as ‘important achievement’

-

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Sunday hailed his troops' victory over the Islamic State group in the ancient oasis city of Palmyra as an "important achievement."

"This is an important achievement and fresh proof of the efficiency of the Syrian army and its allies in fighting terrorism," Assad said of the recapture of Palmyra, during a meeting with French parliamentarians in Damascus.

He also hit out at the global coalition striking IS in Syria and Iraq, saying his army's victory "shows the coalition -- led by the US and including more than 60 countries -- isn't serious about fighting terrorism".

Russian-backed troops and allied militia pushed the jihadists out of the ancient city earlier on Sunday in a major strategic and symbolic win.

Syrian government forces wave next to the Palmyra citadel
Syrian government forces wave next to the Palmyra citadel
Maher al Mounes, AFP

Syria's government has strived to position itself as the primary anti-jihadist force in the country.

The army pledged on Sunday to build on its win in Palmyra by pushing their offensives against IS strongholds in northern Raqa and Deir Ezzor in the east.

The US-led coalition has been carrying out strikes against IS in Syria since September 2014, and Russia began its own air campaign in support of Assad one year later.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Sunday hailed his troops’ victory over the Islamic State group in the ancient oasis city of Palmyra as an “important achievement.”

“This is an important achievement and fresh proof of the efficiency of the Syrian army and its allies in fighting terrorism,” Assad said of the recapture of Palmyra, during a meeting with French parliamentarians in Damascus.

He also hit out at the global coalition striking IS in Syria and Iraq, saying his army’s victory “shows the coalition — led by the US and including more than 60 countries — isn’t serious about fighting terrorism”.

Russian-backed troops and allied militia pushed the jihadists out of the ancient city earlier on Sunday in a major strategic and symbolic win.

Syrian government forces wave next to the Palmyra citadel

Syrian government forces wave next to the Palmyra citadel
Maher al Mounes, AFP

Syria’s government has strived to position itself as the primary anti-jihadist force in the country.

The army pledged on Sunday to build on its win in Palmyra by pushing their offensives against IS strongholds in northern Raqa and Deir Ezzor in the east.

The US-led coalition has been carrying out strikes against IS in Syria since September 2014, and Russia began its own air campaign in support of Assad one year later.

AFP
Written By

With 2,400 staff representing 100 different nationalities, AFP covers the world as a leading global news agency. AFP provides fast, comprehensive and verified coverage of the issues affecting our daily lives.

You may also like:

World

Calling for urgent action is the international medical humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)

World

Immigration is a symptom of a much deeper worldwide problem.

Business

Saudi Aramco President & CEO Amin Nasser speaks during the CERAWeek oil summit in Houston, Texas - Copyright AFP Mark FelixPointing to the still...

Business

A recent article in the Wall Street Journal infers that some workers might be falling out of the job market altogether.