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| Islamic State 'seizes part of Syria's Palmyra' | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Islamic State fighters have seized the northern part of the ancient World Heritage-listed city of Palmyra in Syria, a monitoring group has said. | Islamic State fighters have seized the northern part of the ancient World Heritage-listed city of Palmyra in Syria, a monitoring group has said. |
| Militants seized part of the town of Tadmur located on a strategic east-west route next to Palmyra on Saturday but had been pushed back from the ruins. | Militants seized part of the town of Tadmur located on a strategic east-west route next to Palmyra on Saturday but had been pushed back from the ruins. |
| Palmyra contains architecture of one of the most important cultural centres of the ancient world, according to Unesco. | |
| Now they have reached Palmyra, it is feared IS fighters may destroy it. | |
| IS demolished the Unesco world heritage site of Hatra in Iraq in March, seeing it as a symbol of idolatry. | |
| The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said a third of Palmyra had been taken after battles with government forces. | |
| The site features a colonnaded street, major public buildings and funerary monuments. | |
| It dates back to the 1st and 2nd Century, mixing Graeco-Roman techniques with local traditions and Persian influences. | |
| Meanwhile in Iraq, the government has called for volunteers to confront IS fighters there to help retake the city of Ramadi. |