The Islamic State group killed three of its captives in Syria’s ancient city of Palmyra by tying them to Roman-era columns at the site, then blowing the structures up with explosives, activists have said.
The Palmyra explosions appeared to be the latest method of killing by Isis militants, who are known for beheading, drowning and setting fire to prisoners. The group captured the ancient site from government forces in May.
The killings of the three captives took place on Monday afternoon at the Palmyra archaeological site a few miles from the city, an activist called Nasser al-Thaer said.
Thaer and the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which relies on a network of activists on the ground, said the three were civilians but their identities remained unknown.
This week, Isis posted images on social media purporting to show its members driving a tank over a captured Syrian government soldier, allegedly to take revenge after he supposedly ran over Isis militants.
The group is known to have tanks, most captured in battle from Syrian troops or in the territory it holds in neighbouring Iraq.
Isis has also destroyed many of ancient Palmyra’s Roman-era relics, including the magnificent Temple of Bel and the iconic Arch of Triumph.
Isis considers such relics as promoting idolatry. The group has also looted and sold such antiquities on the black market to raise funds.