israeli triumph as their proxy ISIS Isis 'controls 50% of Syria' after seizing historic city of Pamyra

Isis 'controls 50% of Syria' after seizing historic city of Palmyra

Islamic State militants are also said to be massacring rebellious tribe while having unhindered access to city’s ancient ruins

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Smoke rises amid shelling from Islamic State fighters in Palmyra city, Syria.

Kareem Shaheen in Beirut

Thursday 21 May 2015 10.05 BST Last modified on Thursday 21 May 2015 16.56 BST

Islamic State is thought to be holding sway over half of Syria’s landmass after its seizure of Palmyra, where it has reportedly begun massacring a rebellious tribe and faces no opposition to sacking the city’s ancient ruins.

“There are no forces to stop them [entering the ruins],” Rami Abdurrahman, director of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said. “But the important thing also is they now control 50% of Syria.”

Isis seized Palmyra on Wednesday night after a week-long siege that led to the collapse of forces loyal to Bashar al-Assad. The militants are drawing closer to his strongholds of Homs and Damascus and are severing supply lines to Deir Ezzor in the east, which faces an overpowering Isis crackdown.

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