Mass grave with 70 bodies found in Syria

Damascus, Dec 30: A mass grave with the remains of 70 people, who had been killed by the Islamic State (IS) militants at an earlier time, was uncovered Monday in the country's eastern province of Deir al-Zour, the state news agency SANA reported.

The villagers of the al-Bahra village, about 100 km east of Deir al-Zour, found the mass grave with the bodies of 70 people, largely from the al-Shuaitat tribe, which had opposed the Sunni radical group when the later stormed their areas in that oil-rich province.

The bodies had marks of gunshots and others were found beheaded, Xinhua reported citing SANA.

On Dec 17, the villagers of Kishkiyeh village found a mass grave combining tens of bodies of people who were also executed by the IS.

The IS has stormed large swathes of Deir al-Zour due to its location on the borders with Iraq, where that terrorist organisation also has a foothold.

IANS