Islamic State (IS) militants tightened their hold on the Syrian city of Palmyra today (May 21, 2015), dumping decapitated bodies of Christians and military opponents in the streets and blaring calls from mosque loudspeakers for residents to turn in government soldiers, according to the Washington Post website.
The IS militants' capture of Palmyra -- about 130 miles northeast of the Syrian capital of Damascus -- has raised global alarm about the fate of the ancient ruins in the historical city, a UNESCO World Heritage site. It also subjected yet another urban population to the harsh rule of the Islamist extremists, as tens of thousands of people remained in the city.
The IS militants' advance came just days after the Islamic State seized the key Iraqi city of Ramadi, undermining U.S. assertions that the group is largely on the defensive after months of airstrikes by a U.S.-led international coalition. Although the Iraqi government vowed to take back Ramadi, IS militants continued to gain ground east of the city today.
The jihadists' new gains mark a significant propaganda victory for the Islamic State -- which now controls most of Syria -- and a severe blow to a U.S.-backed military airstrike offensive. Several high-ranking elite U.S. military officers -- extremely skilled in today's modus operandi of the battlefield -- have informed President Obama that the U.S. cannot defeat the IS militants in Iraq and Syria unless the U.S. uses ground troops, in addition to the airstrikes. Unfortunately, Obama has ignored their advice.
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