Syria troops press advance after blow to IS in Palmyra

Syrian forces strengthened their hold on Palmyra on Monday and pushed forward against the Islamic State group after dealing it a major blow by retaking the ancient city. Backed by Russia, pro-government fighters overran Palmyra on Sunday morning after nearly 10 months of IS rule. President Bashar al-Assad hailed the victory as "fresh proof of the efficiency of the Syrian army and its allies in fighting terrorism".