Syrian troops have found 45 bodies so far in a mass grave in the ancient city of Palmyra, which was recaptured last week from the Islamic State terrorist group.
The Syrian army “uncovered a mass grave of officers, soldiers, members of the popular committees (pro-regime militia) and their relatives,” a military source told Agence France-Presse Saturday.
Twenty-four of the victims were civilians, including three children, the source said.
“They were executed either by beheading or by shooting,” the source told AFP.
The bodies, which were found Friday, have been transferred to a hospital in Homs to be identified.
In May, the Islamic State reportedly killed at least 400 people in the first four days of control over Palmyra.
As many as 270,000 people have been killed in Syria’s five-year civil war, but few mass graves have been discovered.
• Kellan Howell can be reached at khowell@washingtontimes.com.
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