Syrian Army just one kilometer from Palmyra

The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) continued its advancements on the main road towards Palmyra as Syrian government troops reached points some 1,000 meters from an imperative junction near the historic city.

This advance was secured after the SAA took control of Hayyal mountain and the Quarries yesterday, thus establishing fire control over sections of Palmyra city.

However, the Islamic State is unlikely surrender control of the city easily as a number of armored vehicles and jihadist mortar units were sent to western Palmyra in a last-ditch effort to fend off the advancing government troops.

Leading the offensive is the Russian-trained 5th Legion, the 18th Tank Division, Military Shield Forces, Al-Badia branch, Shaitat tribesmen alongside the National Defence Forces.

Elsewhere, SAA troops are preparing to storm the Al-Mahr gas field after seizing all high points surrounding the facility and its wells. However, mines and booby traps disguised as rocks were said to hinder rapid government advances in this oil-rich region according to Al-Masdar News field correspondent Majd Fahd.

Russian warplanes are heavily backing the Palmyra offensive.

Meanwhile, fresh clashes erupted between the Islamic State and SAA in eastern Hama, southeastern Aleppo and eastern Aleppo. At the latter region, government forces seized three villages from ISIS on Tuesday.

Two-day old footage of the SAA’s forward units west of Palmyra:

Pictures released by ISIS’ Amaq Agency depicting clashes west of Palmyra: