Syrian government war planes have launched one of the heaviest bombardments yet on the city of Palmyra, which is held by Islamic State (IS) militants. About 25 air strikes left at least 26 people dead, including 12 militants. IS captured Palmyra, which includes a UNESCO World Heritage site, in May. Elsewhere, air strikes on Idlib killed 17 people. The city of Idlib is a stronghold of an alliance of jihadist and Islamist groups calling itself the Army of Conquest.
The latest air strikes came a day after Syrian air force jets attacked Raqqa, the de facto capital of IS. Since occupying Palmyra, IS has destroyed some of its most famous antiquities including its two main temples and three funerary towers. IS has ransacked and demolished several similar ancient sites that pre-date Islam in Iraq.
Syria – Facts
- Capital of Syria is Damascus. The Official Currency is Syrian pound.
- Since approximately 10,000 BC, Syria was one of centers of Neolithic culture where agriculture and cattle breeding appeared for the first time in the world.
- Aleppo is the largest city in Syria.
- Bashar al-Assad is the current President of Syria.
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