THE battle for the ancient Syrian town of Palmyra continued yesterday, with government troops gaining more ground against Islamic State (Isis).

The Sana news agency said that the army, supported by volunteer militias, had captured Syriatel hill near the medieval Palmyra castle.

Soldiers were combing the hillside after destroying the last Isis bolt-holes there and neutralising the numerous booby traps that the Salafist terrorists typically leave behind to hinder their opponents’ advance.

It was reported yesterday afternoon that the army had recaptured the Brigade 550 army base north of Palmyra.

Thursday saw fierce fighting in the streets of Tadmur, the modern town next to the Unesco world heritage site.

The volunteer Desert Hawks Brigade crushed an Isis counterattack and took full control of the tourist resort on the city’s south-west edge in readiness for the final assault.

A spokesman for US Secretary of State John Kerry refused to welcome the impending Palmyra’s liberation, conceding only that Isis was “probably the greater evil” compared with the Syrian government.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his US counterpart John Kerry agreed in Moscow on Thursday to work together to extend the ceasefire between the Syrian government and western-backed militants.

They also agreed that Syria should present a new draft constitution by August to replace the current document adopted in 2012.

And in Geneva, UN special envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura said that he had prepared a document outlining 12 common principles for the two sides following the first round of peace talks.