BEIRUT: Syrian government forces backedby Russian air strikes battled Islamic State insurgents aroundPalmyra on Monday trying to extend their gains after taking

back control of a city whose ancient temples were dynamited bythe ultra-radical militants.

The loss of Palmyra on Sunday amounts to one of the biggestsetbacks for the jihadist group since it declared a caliphate in2014 across large parts of Syria and Iraq.

The Syrian army said the city home to some of the mostextensive ruins of the Roman Empire would become a "launchpad"for operations against Islamic State strongholds in Raqqa and

Deir al-Zor further east across a vast expanse of desert.

Syrian state media said on Monday that Palmyra's militaryairport was now open to air traffic after the army cleared thesurrounding area of Islamic State fighters.

There were clashes northeast of Palmyra between IslamicState and forces allied to the government supported by Syrianand Russian air strikes according to the Syrian Observatory for

Human Rights which monitors the war.

Air strikes believed to be Russian also targeted the roadrunning east out of Palmyra towards Deir al-Zor it said.

Although most of the Islamic State force fled Palmyra onSunday there were still some militants in the city theObservatory said. Observatory director Rami Abdulrahman alsosaid most residents fled before the government offensive and ithad not heard about any civilian deaths.

On Sunday six explosions were heard triggered by triple carbombings inside the city and its fringes by the jihadist group.

Three militants with suicide belts also blew themselves upinflicting unspecified casualties among army forces and alliedtroops the Observatory said.

Syrian state-run television broadcast from inside Palmyrashowing empty streets and badly damaged buildings.

Abdulrahman said 417 Islamic State fighters were so farknown to have died in the campaign to retake Palmyra while 194people were killed on the Syrian government side.

RUSSIAN WITHDRAWAL

Russia's intervention in September turned the tide ofSyria's five-year conflict in Assad's favour. Despite Moscow'sdeclared withdrawal of most military forces two weeks agoRussian jets and helicopters carried out dozens of strikes dailyover Palmyra as the army thrust into the city.

In a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin Assadsaid Russia's air support had been essential in taking backPalmyra and said the city would be rebuilt.

Russia said it would assist with securing and removinglandmines in Palmyra following the campaign but is stillshowing signs of its partial withdrawal from Syria.

Three heavy attack helicopters have left Moscow's Hmeimimair base in Syria for Russia Russian state TV channelRossiya-24 reported on Monday.

Islamic State's ejection from Palmyra came three monthsafter it was driven out of the city of Ramadi in neighbouringIraq the first major victory for Iraq's army since it collapsedin the face of an assault by the militants in June 2014.

Islamic State has lost ground elsewhere including the Iraqicity of Tikrit and the Syrian town of al-Shadadi in February asits enemies push it back and try to cut links between its two

main power centres of Mosul in Iraq and Raqqa in Syria.

On Friday the United States said it believed it had killedseveral senior Islamic State militants including Abd ar-Rahmanal-Qaduli described as the group's top finance official and

aide to its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

There was fierce fighting around the Islamic State-held townof Qaryatain on Monday 100 km (60 miles) west of Palmyra whichthe Syrian government has also been trying to retake. IslamicState seized Qaryatain last August after taking Palmyra.

Syrian television broadcast footage from inside Palmyra'smuseum on Sunday showing toppled and damaged statues as well asseveral smashed display cases.

Syria's antiquities chief said other ancient landmarks were still standing and pledged to restore the damaged monuments.

"Palmyra has been liberated. This is the end of thedestruction in Palmyra" Mamoun Abdelkarim told Reuters onSunday. "How many times did we cry for Palmyra? How many timesdid we feel despair? But we did not lose hope."

REUTERS