Islamic State chalks up another victory, this one in Syria

Islamic State extremists Wednesday captured the Syrian desert town of Palmyra, famed for its ancient ruins and a notorious political prison, in their second major victory in just four days after ousting the Iraqi army from the city of Ramadi. Syrian state news media reported that the government had withdrawn local militias protecting the town after evacuating their families, and local activists said other regime forces had retreated 30 miles to the east to a local phosphate mine.

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