Five days after ISIL forces took the Iraqi city of Ramadi, which the U.S, military called nothing more than the ebb and flow of a “complex, bloody fight,” and said ISIL was on the defensive, ISIL forces have now wrested control of the major city of Palmyra from Syrian forces. This most recent victory by the ISIL troops now gives that group control of almost half of the country with the occupation of over 59,000 square miles and nine out of 14 provinces.

The battle for Palmyra went quickly and Syrian forces collapsed and lost control of the major supply road leading from Damascus to the eastern province of Deir ez Zour that ran through Palmyra. That major supply route was relied on heavily by the garrisons in that province. Now Syria is faced with airlifting supplies to the now isolated soldiers.

The fierce and destructive overnight battle for the ancient city overnight took the lives of at least 100 Syrian Government soldiers as Syrian airstrikes continued to rain down additional destruction on the city.

Palmyra is the home to the most extensive archaeological sites for early Roman settlements in the Middle East. Those 2,000-year-old ruins now risk destruction and looting at the hands of ISIL.

ISIL took control of the military bases within the city, as well as the airport, and pictures have surfaced showing ISIL fighters in the gas fields north of the city.

ISIL, with the winning of Palmyra, are also now within reach of one of Syria’s largest arms supply depots. 

170.000 of the Syrian civilians that have not already fled the city, have now found themselves trapped with no route of escape. Images are emerging from the defeated city showing anti-ISIL individuals in the military and otherwise lying beheaded in the streets in pools of blood.

There is no word as to when Syrian ground forces will move to re-take the city.

  battle, defeat, fight, isil, isis, palmyra, syria, syrian troopes, takeover