FILE IMAGE: Syrian troops are in Palmyra
On September 1, the Russian Centre for the Reconciliation of Opposing Sides in Syria announced that the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) had foiled an attack by the US-backed Lions of the East Army on the ancient city of Palmyra in central Syria.
“Today, at 5:00 a.m. local time, 36 kilometers southeast of the city of Palmyra, clashes between Syrian government troops and a group of militants, who attempted to approach the city of Palmyra from the settlement of at-Tanf, took place… As a result of the clashes, two terrorists were killed, two more were detained and are being questioned,” the Russian center for reconciliation said in an official statement, according to the Russian new agency Sputnik.
The Russian center for reconciliation said that the two militants, who were captured by the SAA, confessed that they were trained and armed by U.S advisors in a camp near the US-led coalition base in the area of al-Tanf. According to the center, the militants were planning to carry out terrorist attacks in Palmyra in order to capture the city later.
“The militants’ objective was to conduct a series of terrorist attacks in the vicinity of the city of Palmyra and to ensure the passage of the main forces of about 300 militants to capture the city within the next week,” the Russian center for reconciliation said.
Last year, Damascus allies accused the US-led collation of facilitating a similar attack on the town of al-Qaryatayn in the southern Homs countryside. However, the collation and its proxies have never admitted that.
The U.S. and its allies are likely attempting to increase pressure on the Damascus government by plotting such terrorists attacks every once in a while.
