Islamic State approaches Palmyra, Syria

TADMUR , Syria, May 14 (UPI) -- An advance of Islamic State forces is aimed at Tadmur, a Syrian city containing one of the Middle East's greatest archeological sites.

The Islamic State (IS), although arguably losing in Iraq, has continued to make gains against Syrian forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and is currently within range of Tadmor, which contains Palmyra, site of an large ancient Roman ruin of temples and collonades dating back over 2,000 years and regarded today by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

The advance is not aimed at the archeological complex, but has raised fears the ruin, northeast of Damascus, could suffer the same fate as other ancient sites. IS has ransacked several sites and destroyed artifacts in Mosul, Iraq, museums it regards as blasphemous. The self-publicized IS destruction, though, is regarded as a cover for the looting of ancient sites to sell artifacts on the black market, helping the group finance its military campaigns.

The city is of strategic interest because it is near gas fields, and lies between the Syrian capital of Damascus and the contested city of Deir al-Zour to the east. Violent nearby clashes have brought IS within reach of the city.

"Violent clashes between IS and the government troops are still taking place around the city. The clashes resulted in the death of 70 members of the government troops at least, including 6 officers and 40 IS militants, including 2 Arab commanders," the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported Thursday.