BEIRUT — The Daesh (the so-called IS) militants have executed at least 400 people 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 militants had carried out executions since capturing the city from government troops. The 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 the city of Ramadi in neighboring Iraq. “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, citing residents inside the city. It added that dozens of those killed were state employees, including the head of nursing department at the hospital and all her family members. The militants posted videos on the Internet showing terrorists going from room to room in government buildings searching for government troops and pulling down pictures of President Bashar Al-Assad and his father. — Reuters
