On Friday, Syrian state TV reported that Daesh militants have destroyed part of the world-famous Tetrapylon, a four-column structure, as well as a part of a Roman Theater in Palmyra. In December 2016 the jihadists were able to recapture the historic site, which had previously been demined by Russian sappers.
Later in the day, President Assad blamed the US for supervising the recapture of the ancient city by Daesh jihadists.
"They [Daesh jihadists] could retake Palmyra under the supervision of the Americans, under the surveillance of American drones; they came through the desert and they occupied Palmyra," Assad told the Japanese broadcaster TBS, according to an interview transcript published by the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA).
Commenting on the remarks of President Assad, Russian military and defense analyst Dmitry Litovkin noted that the US has already blown its reputation by training, instructing and supporting various armed groups in Syria.
The defense analyst suggested that the recapture of Palmyra might have been of benefit to the US as it would spoil the image of Russia and the Syrian government as the main forces in the fight against terrorism.
"How many times have we heard reports that jihadists had destroyed a monument and keep destroying them as soon as they recapture any site. The policy of so-called "controlled chaos" pursued by Barack Obama, and his desire to worsen Russia's position in Syria, have led to yet another terrible tragedy for mankind," he said.
Meanwhile Araik Stepanyan, executive secretary of the Presidium of the Academy of Geopolitical Problems, told the news channel that while the Syrian army has been fighting in the west of the country, liberating Aleppo and other towns and cities from the terrorists, it simply did not have enough force to keep Palmyra under control.
However, the geopolitical analyst further noted that this eastern part of Syria, meanwhile, was under the control of the US and its coalition and they should be responsible for this region.
"The US first told us that it would conduct airstrikes in that region. Then they told us that they have brought in a contingent. When Russia wanted to bomb that area, the Americans said that their people were on the ground there. When Moscow asked Washington to reveal where they were in order not to strike on their positions, the US command not only refused to provide the coordinates but, has conducted strikes on the Syrian army, which coincided with the Daesh attack on Deir ez-Zor."
Stepanyan also said that he has no doubts that the majority of the terrorists who were relocated to Palmyra, have come from Mosul, Iraq, which was allegedly under siege at that time.
"Daesh units could easily redeploy from Mosul for Raqqa or Deir ez-Zor," he said.
"I can suggest that the rebel units controlled by Americans have actually been redeployed from Mosul to Raqqa, then to Deir ez-Zor and further on to Palmyra. Thus all the responsibility for this venture lies solely on the US," he said.
In his interview with RIA Novosti Baluevsky said that 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.
He called it yet another confirmation that while at war, the army should maintain constant alert of any possible developments.
He was also very critical of the so-called humanitarian pauses, which last from several days to several weeks and result in numerous victims, among both civil population and the military and allow the militants to regroup, have a rest and get necessary support, arms and ammunition.
"For me, as a military man, it is absolutely incomprehensible and unacceptable. You can't tell a soldier who is carrying out an attack: "Stand fast! Now here's a humanitarian pause!"
"They have been already encircled. What was needed is to simply finish squeezing them," he said, adding that there certainly should be humanitarian corridors but only for unarmed people.
The former chief of the Russian General Staff, however, said that Palmyra should be recaptured by government forces "out of respect to themselves."
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