IS Destroys Part of Roman Theater in Palmyra

Militants of the self-styled Islamic State terrorist group have destroyed the facade of the Roman Theater, the Tetrapylon architecture complex, in Palmyra, the Syrian state television reported on Friday.

The television did not specify the damage suffered by the historical monuments, TASS news agency reported.

Chief of the Russian General Staff Main Operations Department Lieutenant-General Sergei Rudskoi said on Wednesday the IS militants were moving weapons and manpower “almost unimpededly” toward Syria’s Palmyra because of the US-led coalition’s actions in Iraq.

According to the general, the Russian military have received information of “a large amount of explosives being moved to the area of Palmyra as IS terrorists are aiming to destroy the world cultural heritage in the town”.

IS attacked Palmyra on December 9, 2016. Near the city they tried to seize oil deposits and a military aerodrome. On December 11, the governmental forces retreated.