It has been nearly 10 months since the government forces have had a presence inside of Palmyra (Tadmur); however, this changed on Friday, as several units from the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) broke-through the Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham’s (ISIS) defenses and reentered this ancient desert city in the Homs Governorate.

According to an Al-Masdar field correspondent, the Syrian Arab Army’s “Tiger Forces – backed by the Desert Hawks, Hezbollah, and the Syrian Marines – entered Palmyra through its southern gates after seizing much of the Palmyra Orchards from the ISIS terrorists.

The source added that the Syrian Armed Forces and their allies have now reached the Palmyra Prison that is located in the southeastern sector of the city; it was one of the first sites captured by the Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham on May 21st, 2015.

Fierce clashes are still ongoing inside and outside the city, as the Syrian Armed Forces continue their large-scale offensive to liberate Palmyra.