If the United States had a large hand in creating the beast called ISIS those many moons ago, then they seem to be redeeming themselves by forging ahead and getting on the same floor as Russia, when it comes to moving towards creating a political process that will eventually end the civil war in Syria. But one of the biggest blows that ISIS could ever endure was the retaking of Palmyra.
Palmyra was taken over by Syrian forces only recently, having driven ISIS forces away. The reason Palmyra is so important is not just because it’s one of Syria’s most important cities, but because it’s a symbol of Syria’s ancient heritage, a symbol that came to light when ISIS forces bombed ancient temples and structures that stood tall for over two millennia. Now with the retaking of Palmyra, Syria forces, and by extension, Allied forces, will control the eastern part of the country, even as ISIS seek to fortify their stronghold on Raqqa and Deir el-Zor. Take those two regions and ISIS will fall, but it’s not going to be very easy.
The move to take Palmyra certainly wasn’t easy either, but what has helped in recent times is the fact that the US and Russia have come together, realizing that ISIS is the bigger and badder enemy. The two countries backed a countrywide ceasefire recently that is part of the post-war transition move, a blueprint laid down by the United Nations. However, areas controlled by ISIS and a few other small terrorist groups are not part of a ceasefire, hence the battle to take back Palmyra.
ISIS seems to be faltering. While they have expanded their networks in Europe, especially with the recent bombing in Brussels, and are rumoured to spread their tentacles into India and other parts of Asia, on the ground in Syria, they are losing ground. The group took over parts of Syria and Iraq since 2014. They took over Palmyra in May 2015, showing contempt for the areas’ history by bombing monuments that were almost 2000 years old, including many from the Islamicate era. The UN called this destruction a war crime. This destruction was witnessed the world over and it firmly enforced the ISIS terror wave. Taking back Palmyra certainly puts a dent in their motives to control the region.
Russia has now started to mend ties with Turkey, a country it waged a war of words and embargoes with over the past few months. Turkey and Saudi Arabia are important in this war with ISIS. Both countries have, not so openly, supported ISIS in the past, but even their patience is wearing thin. The turnaround started when ISIS threatened Saudi Arabia in December. Saudi’s participation in this endeavour is very crucial. As head of the Islamic world, they can certainly hope to stem the flow of fighters that are joining ISIS, thinking that they have a religious agenda.
They don’t. ISIS has one agenda “ Terror. They aim to establish a caliphate that is based on Islam, but they do not embody the religion. If many other countries turn against them and join the fight, they will start to take quite a few hits. Palmyra was just the beginning.
