Syria army edges forward in jihadist-held Palmyra

Syrian troops backed by Russian ground and air forces on Saturday pushed deeper into the Islamic State group stronghold of Palmyra, as Washington considered boosting its anti-jihadist fight in neighbouring Iraq. Syrian forces battled IS fighters Saturday inside Palmyra, a strategically located ancient city, under the cover of Russian and Syrian artillery fire. After capturing the town of Al-Amiriyah on the city's northern outskirts, regime forces fought their way into Palmyra's northern and west