Damascus, Apr 2 (IANS): The bodies of 40 people killed by the Islamic State militant group were uncovered in a mass grave in Palmyra city of Syria.
A source told SANA that defence groups managed to pull out 25 bodies during combing operations in Masakin al-Jahizia neighbourhood of the city.
Later, the source said that the number of bodies uncovered from the grave has reached 40, all of them women and children.
The source said that efforts continue to pull more bodies from the grave, adding that some of them were beheaded and others were brutally tortured.
On May 2015, IS killed at least 400 people -- most of them children, women and elderly -- in Palmyra city.
The source said engineering units continue to dismantle landmines and explosive devices which were planted by the IS in the city.
On February 27, Syrian army regained control over the ancient city of Palmyra from the IS.