Backed by Russian airstrikes, pro-Syrian forces reclaimed control of the ancient city of Palmyra after a 10-month Islamic State occupation that included the destruction of several monuments dating back nearly 2,000 years.
Ancient City of Palmyra, Syria
![In this undated photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA, shows the site of the ancient city of Palmyra, Syria.](https://gdb.voanews.com/5aa6b918-2354-47fb-99e1-4c1bb067d9eb_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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In this undated photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA, shows the site of the ancient city of Palmyra, Syria.
![FILE - This undated file image released by UNESCO shows the site of the ancient city of Palmyra in Syria.](https://gdb.voanews.com/6a7104d9-d264-41bd-954b-cf8db2962a6a_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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FILE - This undated file image released by UNESCO shows the site of the ancient city of Palmyra in Syria.
![This photo released on Sunday March 27, 2016, by the Syrian official news agency SANA, shows destroyed statues at the damaged Palmyra Museum, in Palmyra city, central Syria.](https://gdb.voanews.com/4d51eb9e-b0a4-4222-9825-bc1174563b2b_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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This photo released on Sunday March 27, 2016, by the Syrian official news agency SANA, shows destroyed statues at the damaged Palmyra Museum, in Palmyra city, central Syria.
![This photo released on Sunday March 27, 2016, by the Syrian official news agency SANA, shows destroyed statues at the damaged Palmyra Museum, in Palmyra city, central Syria.](https://gdb.voanews.com/64611c03-e1f6-45f3-9a9a-58873356f6ff_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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This photo released on Sunday March 27, 2016, by the Syrian official news agency SANA, shows destroyed statues at the damaged Palmyra Museum, in Palmyra city, central Syria.