Syrian troops unearthed the remains of soldiers and civilians executed by "Islamic State" (IS) in Palmyra's northeastern outskirts, a military official said Saturday.

The source told news agency AFP there appeared to be several women and children among the victims.

"They were executed either by beheading or by shooting," the source said, adding that the bodies had been transferred to a military hospital in the provincial capital, Homs.

Syrian troops backed by Russian forces recaptured Palmyra last Sunday from IS fighters who overran the city and its UNESCO-listed ruins in May 2015. During its 10-month occupation, the terror group destroyed the ancient temples of Bel and Baal Shamin and looted relics that dated back thousands of years.

According to the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the militants also executed scores of people and buried them on the city's fringes.

The loss of Palmyra marked one of the biggest defeats for IS, and came during an international ceasefire between Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces and opposing militia.

IS and the al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front are not part of the truce, which has helped aid agencies deliver humanitarian help to towns and villages under siege. More than 250,000 people have been killed and millions displaced in Syria's five-year war.

What's left to salvage in Palmyra? Palmyra: ruins left in ruins Palmyra's giant pillars used to be recognized around the world. This long boulevard of antiquity was feared to have been pulverized in deliberate explosions conducted by the so-called "Islamic State" (IS). But recent images show that much of the Great Colonade survived IS and its reign of terror.

What's left to salvage in Palmyra? Like pieces of a puzzle Syria's antiquities director Maamoun Abdulkarim intends to rebuild Palmyra to the state of its former glory. Ancient sites such as the Temple of Baal Shamin and the Temple of Bel will have to be pieced together like a puzzle after IS had demolished them in 2015. Still, Abdulkarim hopes that with the UN's help, Palmyra will be restored in five years' time.

What's left to salvage in Palmyra? Mass executions where plays once premiered The fact that Palmyra's ancient amphitheater, built around 200 A.D., appears to have survived the brute force of IS' destruction campaign might be among the lesser surprises here. It was here that jihadists held mass executions last year, while also using the stage as their set for their violent propaganda videos. A memorial for these recent events will likely be part of the restoration efforts.

What's left to salvage in Palmyra? A bird's eye perspective Aerial photographs reveal that other parts of the ancient city barely managed to withstand IS' deliberate destruction. The image on the right, taken on March 26, 2016, shows the extent of the damage after IS had blown up the Temple of Bel. On the left, the temple is seen intact before the jihadists' advance toward the UNESCO World Heritage site in May 2015.

What's left to salvage in Palmyra? Destruction beyond the ancient city Palmyra's National Museum also suffered heavy losses under IS rule. Its treasures were looted, some were damaged, and others burned. The building itself lost parts of its roof but appears to have kept its structural integrity.

What's left to salvage in Palmyra? Liberation after almost a year of tyranny Locals knew they had been liberated when the fortress of Qal'at Ibn Ma'n high on top of a hill in Palmyra was finally recaptured by government forces. The structure is thought to date back only to the 13th to 16th centuries, but prior to the IS occupation, it had always been part of Palmyra's tourist attraction route despite pertaining to more recent history. Author: Sabine Oelze / ss



nm/ng (Reuters, AFP)