(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) The US expressed deep concern on Thursday after ISIL attack and took control of Palmyra, Syria and noted the towns status as a world heritage site, White House Spokesperson Josh Earnest stressed to reporters.
"It's the home to historic ruins and other artifacts that are, ironically enough, critical to our understanding of this culture and to the history of the Iraqi and Syrian people," said Earnest.
"And ISIL's utter disregard and lack of respect for that heritage is consistent with the kind of ideology that's propagated by that extremist organization." He continued, "Until we're able to build up local forces on the ground in Syria who can take the fight to ISIL in their own country, this is going to continue to be a difficult challenge, and one that is not going to be solved overnight, but rather, that is will require a long-term commitment." At the State Department Acting Spokesperson Marie Harf commented, "I'm not sure what more can be done." Earnest concluded, "I think you could accurately characterize the situation in Palmyra as a setback. It's a materially different one, though, because we don't have this local force on the ground with whom we can coordinate and who we can support with coalition military air power."
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