BEIRUT, Lebanon: A Russian aerial onslaught killed scores of Daesh fighters in Syria’s Palmyra on Sunday and forced others to withdraw hours after they had re-entered the ancient city, Moscow and a monitor said.
Russia’s defense ministry said its warplanes carried out more than 60 strikes overnight on Palmyra, killing more than 300 Daesh jihadists and halting their offensive on the famed desert city in central Syria.
“Intense Russian raids since last night forced IS out of Palmyra, hours after the jihadists retook control of the city,” said Rami Abdel Rahman of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
“The army brought reinforcements into Palmyra last night, and the raids are continuing on jihadist positions around the city,” Abdel Rahman told AFP.
In a statement issued in Moscow, the defense ministry said Russian warplanes conducted 64 air strikes against “positions, convoys and advancing reserves of militants” in Palmyra.
“Over the past night, Syrian government troops with active support of the Russian air force thwarted all terrorist attacks on Palmyra,” it said in a statement.
“The attacking militants actively used car bombs with suicide bombers, armored vehicles and rocket artillery,” it said, adding that the strikes killed more than 300 militants and destroyed 11 tanks and 31 vehicles.
Russia has carried out a bombing campaign in Syria in support of its ally President Bashar Assad since September 2015.
Daesh began an offensive last week near Palmyra, which is on UNESCO’s World Heritage list.
The jihadists killed around 50 members of Syrian government forces after launching simultaneous attacks on several regime positions near Palmyra on Thursday, the Britain-based Observatory said at the time.
They targeted areas including near the Mahr and Shaar oil and gas fields and seized government checkpoints, silos and the village of Jazal, northwest of Palmyra.
In May last year, the extremist group seized several towns in Homs province including Palmyra, where they caused extensive damage to many of its ancient sites.
They were ousted from Palmyra in March by Syrian regime forces backed by Russia.
The recapture of Palmyra was hailed as a major victory, with Russian celebrities traveling there since March staging concerts and making public appearances.
Moscow has been under severe criticism for its air strikes on Aleppo — which it says it stopped on October 18 — where the anti-Assad opposition is currently holed up in just a fraction of the territory it once controlled.
The city’s eastern districts are still being bombed by the Syrian regime which Washington has labelled “war crimes” and a UN General Assembly demanded an immediate cease-fire to stop the carnage.
Russian onslaught forces Daesh out of Syria’s Palmyra
Russian onslaught forces Daesh out of Syria’s Palmyra
Egypt’s historic mosques drenched in spirituality during Ramadan
- Arab News visits some of Cairo’s most historic mosques, including Al-Azhar, Sultan Hassan, and Amr ibn Al-As
- ‘I have experienced an exceptional atmosphere in Egypt during Ramadan,’ says Mazen, a student at Al-Azhar University who is from Java in Indonesia
CAIRO: Cairo is home to more than 400 Islamic landmarks that represent a rich diversity of heritage and architectural styles, and the already spiritual atmosphere in the Egyptian capital receives a boost during Ramadan.
During the first week of the holy month, Arab News visited some of the city’s most historic mosques, including Al-Azhar, Sultan Hassan, and Amr ibn Al-As.
Al-Azhar Mosque hosts iftar, the evening meal that breaks the daily fast during Ramadan, at which it welcomes students from more than 100 countries as well as faculty members from Al-Azhar University. Thousands sit in organized circles throughout the mosque as they enjoy their meals.
“This is the third year I have attended this iftar since joining Al-Azhar University to study at the Faculty of Usul Al-Din (Islamic Theology),” Mazen, a student from Java in Indonesia, told Arab News. “I have experienced an exceptional atmosphere in Egypt during Ramadan.”
Gamal Abdel Rahim, a professor of Islamic antiquities, told Arab News that iftar tables first appeared in Egyptian mosques during the era of Ahmad ibn Tulun, founder of the Tulunid dynasty (835 to 884 A.D.). They became more widespread during the Mamluk and Fatimid periods at places of worship such as Amr ibn Al-As Mosque, one of the oldest in the country. The tradition continues.
“Ramadan preparations in Egypt’s historic mosques usually begin in the months of Rajab and Shaban, during which the mosque carpets are replaced,” Abdel Rahim said. “In olden times, mishkat (lamps) were filled with fresh olive oil during Ramadan.”
In the days of the Tulunid dynasty, he added, Ahmad ibn Tulun regulated working hours during Ramadan so that mosque workers could return home to their families after Asr prayer.
One of the most distinctive features of the holy month in Egypt is the firing of the Ramadan cannon, he said, a tradition that began in 1454 A.D. during the era of Sultan Khushqadam Al-Ahmadi.
“This ritual continues, linking modern practices to centuries of Islamic heritage,” he added.
At the Sultan Hussein Mosque, where original features of its construction in 1356 A.D. have been preserved, a large number of Muslims perform Taraweeh (late-night) prayers during Ramadan enveloped in a deeply spiritual and serene atmosphere that reflects the historical and religious significance of the mosque.
The mosque is also distinguished by its school, which is dedicated to teaching the four main schools of Sunni jurisprudence (Madhab). It features uniquely designed lamps that reflect the exquisite craftsmanship of its era and add to a spiritual ambiance that has attracted worshippers and scholars for centuries.
At Amr ibn Al-As Mosque, worshippers who gather for Isha and Taraweeh prayers are immersed in an atmosphere of devotion. The mosque is particularly notable for the magnificent dome at the center of its courtyard, which is a hallmark of its historic and architectural significance.
In areas around Egypt’s historic mosques, traditional lanterns and Ramadan decorations adorn the streets as Egyptians gather in these historic districts at night during the holy month to celebrate and socialize into the early hours, creating a lively and festive atmosphere that blends tradition and spirituality with communal joy.
