Massacre: Syria says Islamic State killed hundreds in Palmyra

Islamic State fighters have killed at least 400 people, including women and children, in Palmyra since capturing the ancient Syrian city four days ago, Syrian state media said on Sunday. It was not immediately possible to verify the account, but it was consistent with reports by activists that the Islamist fighters had carried out extra-judicial executions since capturing the city from government troops. The militants have a history of carrying out mass killings in towns and cities they capture, and of destroying ancient monuments, which they consider evidence of paganism. The Sunni Muslim militants seized the city of 50,000 people, site of some of the world’s most extensive and best preserved ancient Roman ruins, on Wednesday, days after also capturing Ramadi in Iraq.

The terrorists have killed more than 400 people including women and children … and mutilated their bodies, under the pretext that they cooperated with the government.

Syria’s state news agency, citing residents inside the city

The two near-simultaneous victories in Palmyra and Ramadi were Islamic State’s biggest successes since a U.S.-led coalition began an air war against its fighters last year, and they have forced an examination of whether the strategy is working. Iraq’s government, along with Iran-backed Shiite militiamen and locally recruited Sunni tribal fighters, launched a counteroffensive on Saturday, a week after losing Ramadi. A police major and a pro-government Sunni tribal fighter in the area said they had retaken the town of Husaiba al-Sharqiya, about six miles east of Ramadi.

Today’s advance will speed up the clock for a major advance to regain control of Ramadi.

Local tribal leader Amir al-Fahdawi

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