After days of fighting, "Palmyra's fate is now in the hands of IS," L’Orient Le Jourwrites on Thursday's front page. Coalition forces thought a few days ago that they had managed to beat back the ISIS terror group from the ancient Syrian city, but the jihadists came back stronger than before. Government and rebel forces fled the city, where ISIS is now in control.
Palmyra is home to many historical ruins and artwork, such as the Temple of Bel, built in the first century. As The Guardian explains, ISIS fighters have demonstrated before that they have no regard for archeological sites such as those in the Iraqi city in Mosul, which they destroyed earlier this year.
ABOUT THE SOURCE: L’Orient Le Jour is a French-language newspaper in Lebanon. It was founded in 1971 after the merger of L’Orient and Le Jour.