Reports: ISIL seizes gas fields near Palmyra

Monitor says fields were vital for generation of electricity for areas under government's control near ancient city.

Palmyra, which is 210 km away from the capital Damascus, is a 2,000 year old world heritage site named "the pearl of the desert"

The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group has seized two gas fields northeast of Syria's ancient Palmyra, a day after firing rockets into the city and killing five people, according to a monitor.

The Al-Hail and Arak gas fields, which were captured by ISIL on Monday, are 40km and 25km respectively from Palmyra.
They were vital for the Syrian government's generation of electricity for areas under its control, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
ISIL fired a barrage of rockets on residential neighbourhoods in the city of Palmyra on Sunday night, killing five civilians including two children, the Syrian Observatory reported.
"At least five civilians, including two children, were killed Sunday night when IS fired rockets on numerous neighbourhoods in Tadmur," the Syrian Observatory said, using the Arabic name for the city.
"It's the first time that ISIL has fired so many rockets on the city," Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the monitor, said.
Deadly clashes have continued on Palmyra's outskirts since ISIL launched an offensive on May 13 to capture the 2,000-year-old world heritage site nicknamed The Pearl of the Desert.
Since then, at least 364 people, including fighters from both sides and 62 civilians, have been killed in battles.
Located in central Homs province, Palmyra lies 210 km northeast of Damascus in desert that stretches to the Iraqi frontier to the east.
Military situation
ISIL seized most of Palmyra's north on Saturday, but were pushed out by government troops less than 24 hours later.
"The military situation is under control in the city, but the clashes are ongoing north and northwest of it," said Talal Barazi, the governor of Homs.