UN Praises Syrian Victory in Palmyra

Local Editor

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon welcomed the Syrian army's recapture of Palmyra from Daesh [Arabic acronym for the terrorist "ISIS" group] terrorists, expressing hope that the Damascus government will try to rebuild and protect the UNESCO-listed city.

Addressing a press conference in the Jordanian capital, Amman, Ban said "the extremist terrorists, they have been not only killing brutally people, they have been destroying human civilizations."

"We are encouraged and fortunate" that Syrian soldiers regained control of Palmyra, said the UN chief, stressing he was also encouraged that Syria's government "will try not only to preserve and protect, but try to restore" the site.

In another development, Russian President Vladimir Putin offered felicitations to his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad on the liberation of Palmyra after weeks of army operations against Daesh terrorists.

Separately, Putin exchanged views with UNESCO chief Irina Bokova about the fate of Palmyra, according to the Kremlin official.

Following four weeks of military operations against Daesh, Syrian forces, backed by popular defense groups and Russian air cover, wrested back control of Palmyra in the western province of Homs on Sunday.

Earlier in the day, Assad said the victory in Palmyra shows the success of the army's strategy in its battle against terrorists.

The Syrian army also vowed in a statement to step up their anti-Daesh offensives on various fronts "on top being Deir ez-Zour and Raqqah," two provinces in Syria's east and north, respectively.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team