A Twitter post by ISIL followers on May 20 said the group was in full control of Palmyra, including its military installations and that Syrian forces left many of their dead behind after fleeing.
The taking of Palmyra marked the first time ISIL seized a city directly from Syrian and allied forces.
Capturing Palmyra is a huge strategic gain for ISIL as it sits on a highway linking Damascus with the nation’s eastern provinces and, to the west, Homs.
The Observatory said ISIL’s area of control spans from Palmyra to Raqqa and Deir Ezzor in the west that makes up some 95,000 square kilometers. ISIL also controls much of the country’s electricity supply after taking Arak and al-Hail gas fields.
Palmyra fell just days after ISIL claimed Ramadi, the capital of Iraq’s Anbar province, dealing a huge blow to the U.S.-led coalition.
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http://www.worldtribune.com/2015/05/21/isil-now-controls-50-percent-of-syrias-landmass/