A Syrian official and a an opposition monitoring group say Syrian government forces are 1 kilometer (half mile) away from the heart of Palmyra, an ancient town controlled by the Islamic State group.
Homs governor Talal Barazi tells The Associated Press that the army has determined three directions to storm the town and is now clearing all roads leading to Palmyra from mines and explosives.
Barazi said Thursday he's predicting an "overwhelming victory in Palmyra" within the next 48 hours.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says the troops are facing tough resistance from IS extremists as they try to penetrate the town's eastern and southern limits.
The Islamic State group has controlled Palmyra since May and has destroyed many of its famed archaeological sites.
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