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BEIJING, May 22 (Xinhuanet) -- Islamic State fighters say they have taken "full control" of the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra, after government forces retreated.
The 2 thousand year old metropolis is listed as a UNESCO world heritage site. It is home to temples, colonnaded streets and world-renowned Roman-era ruins. UNESCO says the destruction of Palmyra would be an "enormous loss to humanity".
No damage has been reported yet. But the group has destroyed antiquities and ancient monuments in neighbouring Iraq, and there are fears Palmyra could soon share the same fate. The fall of the ancient site means that more than half of Syria is now under Islamic State control.
Meanwhile, the United Nations says it has received reports that Syrian forces prevented civilians from leaving the area, as the militants advanced into Palmyra. Witnesses report that ISIL has since executed dozens of security forces and loyalist civilians in the city. For more, we spoke to our correspondent Alaa Ebrahim.
(Source: CNTV.com)
