IS leaves 100 bodies before withdrawing from Syrian town

Damascus, Oct 23 (IANS) The Islamic State (IS) militants left 100 bodies ahead of withdrawing from a central Syrian town that has recently been restored by the Syrian government forces, a monitor group reported on Monday.

The IS militants killed over 100 people in the town of al-Qaryatayn in the eastern countryside of Homs province during their second invasion of the town earlier this month, Xinhua news agency reported quoting the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Meanwhile, the pro-government al-Watan newspaper said on its website that civilians have found the bodies of 50 people killed by the IS, adding that most of the bodies were identified, while the search is going on for more bodies.

The Syrian Army recaptured al-Qaryatayn on Saturday following battles with the IS.

The recapture of al-Qaryatayn came after the IS militants stormed the town earlier this month for the second time as part of a recent large-scale counter-offensive in the Syrian desert.

The Syrian forces later laid siege to that area before the army fully captured the town on Saturday.

The recent attacks by the IS are aimed at easing pressure on it in the eastern province of Deir al-Zour, where the army is tightening the noose on the terror group.

The city is strategically important due to its proximity to the Syrian city of Qara, a stronghold of the Hezbollah Shiite group, which is fighting alongside the Syrian army in key battlefields in the country.