Syria warplanes batter extremists in ancient Palmyra

Syrian government aircraft carried out intense strikes Monday against the Islamic State group in and around the ancient city of Palmyra after its fall to the jihadists, a military source said. 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 terrorists have killed more than 400 people including women and children.. and mutilated their bodies, under the pretext that they cooperated with the government and did not follow orders.

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

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 militants have proclaimed a caliphate to rule over all Muslims from territory they hold in both Syria and Iraq. They 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.

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

English as ISIS

Middle East islamic state