Palmyra: 'Mass grave' in recaptured Syrian city

[Eugene]

Source: BBC

Palmyra: 'Mass grave' in recaptured Syrian city

2 April 2016 Middle East

Syrian troops have found a mass grave containing about 40 bodies in the city of Palmyra following its recapture from the Islamic State (IS) group, state news agency Sana reports.

The grave containing the bodies of men, women and children was uncovered on the north-eastern edge of the city.

Some had been beheaded while others had been shot, a military source told AFP.

He said they were officers, soldiers, members of pro-regime militia and their relatives.

Twenty-four of the victims were civilians, including three children, the source added.

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Read more: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-35950517

[bemildred]

1. Nusra Front, Syrian rebels attack government forces near Aleppo, gain ground

Syrian rebels and the al Qaeda-affiliated Nusra Front have mounted an offensive against Syrian government forces and on Saturday took a strategic hill south of Aleppo from government control, a monitoring group said.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the offensive began on Friday, and Syrian government and allied forces were fighting to take back control of the territory and repel further attacks.

A fragile "cessation of hostilities" truce has held in Syria for over a month as the various parties try to negotiate an end to Syria's five-year-old civil war.

But the truce excludes Islamic State and Nusra Front, and air and land attacks by Syrian and allied forces continue in parts of Syria where the government says the groups are present.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-aleppo-idUSKCN0WZ0O5