The United Nations cultural organisation UNESCO has long listed Palmyra's ancient ruins as a world heritage site.
Before the self-proclaimed Islamic State entered the city in 2015, the city boasted temples, tombs and alleys ranking among the Middle East's best-preserved classical monuments.
But fierce clashes have left much of the ancient city destroyed after I-S, also known as Daesh, recaptured the city in December.
This week, Russian-backed Syrian troops pushed into a western neighbourhood, and, now, a Syrian army spokesman says they have retaken the city for the second time.
"With backing from the Syrian and Russian air forces, units of our armed forces and allied forces recaptured the city of Palmyra and surrounding areas after defeating the Daesh terrorists, who suffered many losses."
For the Syrian government, the news is a welcome development against the backdrop of peace talks underway with the opposition in Switzerland.
Syria's ambassador to the United Nations and head of the Syrian government delegation, Bashar Jaafari, has criticised the largest opposition delegation in Geneva.
He says it is holding the agenda hostage by refusing to include the issue of counterterrorism on the table.
"You are all invited to visit the historic city of Palmyra and witness its beauty, now that it has been liberated from the claws of IS. Of course, counterterrorism operations will continue until the last inch of our territory is liberated from the hands of these foreign terrorist organisations, which are wreaking havoc in our country. We have emphasised to the Special Envoy (Staffan) de Mistura that the progress in the Geneva round shouldn't be hostage to the Riyadh platform, which, as you know, has refused to form a united opposition delegation. We must not permit the Riyadh platform to take the Geneva talks hostage with their intransigent positions, which have become obsolete."
Mr Jaafari made the remarks after meeting with Mr de Mistura, who is trying to get three opposition groups and the government delegation to set an agenda to govern future talks.
It comes a day after Russian foreign-ministry officials met with representatives from the High Negotiations Committee, which represents opposition groups.
The talks were an attempt to narrow their current differences.
The High Negotiation Committee accuses Russia of breaking its promise to stick to a Russia-Turkey-backed ceasefire drawn up last December and put pressure on the Syrian government.
The head of the Syrian Opposition Delegation, Nasr Al-Hariri, says the opposition is committed to the talks but it will take time.
"We shall continue this interaction as long as the United Nations is serious on implementing its resolutions, and we believe it is. The political process is not an easy process. It cannot be concluded in one week or two weeks. More effort is needed. More time is needed. And, as we told and promised our people, we will continue with this process, and, God willing, we will achieve the desired aspirations."
The current round of talks is expected to wrap up in Geneva tomorrow.
