BASSEM MROUE, ZEINA KARAM, Associated Press

BEIRUT (AP) — For decades, the mere mention of Tadmur Prison was enough to send chills down a Syrian’s spine.

The notorious facility in the desert of central Syria was where thousands of dissidents were reported to have been beaten, humiliated and systematically tortured for opposing the Assad family’s rule.

This weekend, it was demolished by the Islamic State group, which took over the site near the ancient town of Palmyra last month, bringing mixed emotions from many Syrians who wanted it to remain standing so future generations would know its horrors.

"They destroyed our memories, our catastrophe and the walls that we leaned on and told our stories to," said Ali Aboudehn, a Lebanese who spent four harrowing years in Tadmur. "They destroyed the land that absorbed our blood because of torture."

Armin Rosen

The Iraqi Army and its Shia militia allies are gearing up for one of the defining campaigns in the war against ISIS.

Troops are gathering outside of Ramadi, the city located 80 miles from Baghdad that ISIS took on May 17th. Ramadi is majority Sunni and could serve as an ISIS foothold for an assault on the greater Baghdad area.

A successful campaign to retake the city could send ISIS into retreat. But failure would only solidify the jihadists’ hold over a sizable population center at the doorstop of the Iraqi capital.

And the attempt to retake Ramadi looks like yet another disaster in waiting.

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