Editor’s Note: This story first appeared in the Daily Mail Online. We reprint in part here.
Islamic State militants have executed at least 400 mostly women and children in Syria’s ancient city of Palmyra.
Eyewitnesses have reported the streets are strewn with bodies – the latest victims of the Islamic State’s unrelenting savagery — on the same day photographs of captured Syrian soldiers have emerged.
It follows the killing of nearly 300 pro-government troops two days after they captured the city, now symbolised by a black ISIS flag flying above an ancient citadel.
ISIS has also strengthened its position in neighbouring Iraq with Jihadi fighters killing more than 500 people when they captured the city of Ramadi, last week.
Syrian state television announced the most recent massacre, quoting residents inside the city, which is known as Tadmur in Arabic.
‘The terrorists have killed more than 400 people.. and mutilated their bodies, under the pretext that they cooperated with the government and did not follow orders,’ Syria’s state news agency said.