Syria army keeps pressure on ISIS after Palmyra capture

Regime troops were locked in heavy fighting on Tuesday with the Islamic State group in central Syria, after dealing the jihadists a major blow by seizing the ancient city of Palmyra.

Syrian pro-government forces rest on the outskirts of Palmyra during a military operation to retake the ancient city from ISIS.

Backed by "intense" airstrikes by both Syrian and Russian warplanes, pro-government fighters advanced southwest towards the jihadist-held town of Al-Qaryatain, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

They captured a series of strategic hilltops overlooking the town, where around 500 civilians are still living, according to the Britain-based monitor. ISIS had seized the strategic town in August 2015, kidnapping at least 230 people, including dozens of Christians, and razed its famed Mar Elian monastery.

The town lies on a key road linking Palmyra with the Qalamun region of Damascus province to the west.

Sunday's capture of Palmyra, known as the "Pearl of the Desert" for its colonnaded alleyways and stunning temples, was seen as a the biggest blow so far in the war against ISIS in Syria.