16 March 2017, 11:55 GMT
DAMASCUS (Sputnik) — The source told SANA news agency that the army established full control of the mountain chain about 15 kilometers (9.3 miles) east of Palmyra, killed Daesh terrorists and destroyed their weapons.
The army also cleared the area of mines and explosive devices.
Later on Thursday, army backed by the the supporting forces took over the Mostadira mountain chain also east of the city.
On March 2, the Syrian government forces regained control over Palmyra with the support of the Russian aircraft operating in Syria. The operation was carried out with minimal losses among the anti-terrorist troops.
In May 2015, Daesh militants took hold of Palmyra, one of the most important centers of ancient civilization in the world. In March 2016, the Syrian army managed to liberate the city, however, in December 2016, the extremists captured Palmyra for the second time.
The civil war in Syria has been lasting for around six years with government troops fighting against numerous opposition factions and terror organizations such as al-Nusra Front and Daesh, outlawed in Russia.
