BEIRUT (Sputnik) — On Thursday, ISIL militants executed 26 people close to Palmyra because of their alleged contacts with the Syrian army.
“Mass carnage was carried out in the al-Ameria town, there were also attacks on a military garrison, 45 civilians were killed,” the source said.
The source added that the ancient site of Palmyra had not been damaged in the attack.
#ISIS executes 26 Syrians, beheading 10. Beheading their way to Damascus. http://t.co/QWF5LWTAdz pic.twitter.com/z4v5F7FPFV
— Anne Bayefsky (@AnneBayefsky) May 15, 2015
ISIL militants began to retreat once a reinforcement of some 500 soldiers had arrived in the village to strengthen the Syrian army, the source stressed.
Heavy fighting in Palmyra’s outskirts has been continuing for the past two days.