Palmyra Liberation Became a Breaking Point in Syrian Conflict - Shoigu

Palmyra liberation became a turning point in the Syrian conflict, the Russian Defense Minister said during the 5th International Security Conference in Moscow.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Liberation of the historic Syrian city of Palmyra from the Islamic State (IS) militant group, which is outlawed in Russia, became the breaking point in the armed conflict in the Middle Eastern nation, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Tuesday.

"The liberation of Palmyra from Daesh became the breaking point in an armed conflict in Syria," Shoigu said at the fifth Moscow Conference on International Security.

He added that Moscow expected the United Nations and its institutions, such as UNESCO to contribute to the restoration and demining of the historic city.

On March 27, Syrian government forces, supported by the Russian Aerospace Forces, liberated the city of Palmyra from the Islamic State terrorist group, 10 months after its capture. The terrorist group, outlawed in many countries including Russia, has destroyed a significant part of Palmyra's historic ruins, which are a UNESCO World Heritage site.