In Video, ISIS Executes 25 Syrian Troops in Palmyra

Public Executions Held in Ancient Amphitheater

A new video released by ISIS shows an organized public execution in the Syrian city of Palmyra, in which 25 Syrian soldiers were killed by young ISIS recruits in the ruins of the Palmyran amphitheater.

Though the video itself did not specify when the killings took place, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported a public execution of scores of troops by ISIS in Palmyra on May 27. This could be that incident.

The video shows the 25 soldiers being taken from the prison in Tadmur to the ruins in Palmyra, and hundreds of people attended the executions in the ancient oasis city. The loss of Tadmur and Palmyra was a big loss for the Syrian military.

ISIS has repeatedly issued videos showing executions and battles for propaganda purposes, and has parlayed such videos into considerable recruitment boosts for their organization internationally.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.