Hundreds are feared dead following reports of an Islamic State (IS) terrorist group’s 'massacre' in the government-controlled areas of Syria's Deir Ezzor, which is home to an estimated 100,000 inhabitants.
A large group of IS Islamic militants have been making massive advances in Deir ez-Zor province since Sunday, cutting off a key air base supplying both anti-jihadist fighters and civilians in the region,
The militants steadily advanced in a fresh assault on that part of the city, sparking fears among residents of widespread atrocities. Deir Ezzor sits in the oil-rich eastern province of the same name, most of which is controlled by IS since early 2015.
According to one activist group, IS has already begun executing Syrian soldiers it took captive during the clashes in Deir Ezzor.
Most of the reinforcements are coming from villages in the Deir Ezzor countryside and from Iraq, primarily from Anbar Province where they are being routed by Iraqi forces.
According to ground sources, tens of dead bodies of fighters for the terrorist group are continually being transferred from the front lines in Deir Ezzor to towns and villages in the countryside that they occupy and returned to their families.
Despite a successful offensive thus far for the terrorist group, this has mostly stalled and come at a high price in terms of manpower.