MOSCOW (Sputnik) — In December 2016, Daesh, outlawed in Russia and many other countries, recaptured Palmyra from Syrian government forces. According to various sources, the number of terrorists that took part in the storming of the city reached 5,000, including hundreds of suicide bombers and dozens of armored vehicles.
"The situation in Palmyra… Obviously, the situation was not under constant monitoring and control. There was a delayed reaction," Baluevsky told Sputnik in an interview.
According to Baluevsky, the information about jihadists' attack on a bloc-post near the city was received on December 7, however, the Russian Aerospace Forces attacked the terrorists positions only four days later.
Palmyra's monuments, which were partially destroyed by terrorists, are included in the UNESCO World Heritage list.
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