A disturbing new video released by Isis shows a young boy beheading a Syrian soldier.

The boy was filmed murdering the prisoner near the ancient city of Palmyra, which Isis captured in May, under the watch of an older militant. His age could not be confirmed.

This is believed to be the first case of a child performing a beheading that has been filmed by Isis. They have previously used minors to execute prisoners by shooting them, however.

The boy, wearing camouflage and a black headdress with his face uncovered, is seen forcing the soldier, who identifies himself as a captain in Bashar al-Assad's army, to lie on his front and then pulling his head to cut it with a small knife.

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The next moment shows the child horrifically holding up the victim's severed head in celebration of the murder. The boy then places the victim's head on his back.

The older militant observing then turns to the camera to threaten the Islamic State's takeover of the world's holy sites in Rome and Jerusalem.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, who say they were sent a copy of the video, his words translate to, "Our goal is not only Palmyra nor Homs or Damascus, but to conquer Bayt al-Maqdis (Jerusalem) and Rome, God willing.”

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The Observatory said that the soldier was captured at the Western Hir Palace in Homs province after fleeing there when Isis overran Palmyra.

Charlie Winter, a researcher from UK-based counter extremism think tank Quilliam Foundation said that the latest video shows an increasing presence of children in Isis propaganda.

Earlier this month, Isis released a shocking video from inside Palmyra that showed 25 children lining up regime soldiers in a Roman amphitheater and shooting them in the head.

In March, a video showed children leading prisoners to their beheading and handing out knives to jihadists in Hama.

Winter said that the use of children is to draw attention and shock people as the world becomes desensitized to Isis' beheading videos.

Last year, the UN's Human Rights Council reported that Isis had "established training camps to recruit children into armed roles under the guise of education."

The report said that the children receive weapons training and religious education at the camps and that children have been deployed in active combat during military operations, which includes suicide bombings.

Sources: Daily Mail, Independent

Photo Credit: Daily Mail

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