IS guns down 146 people in Syria

Damascus, June 26:

At least 146 civilians were killed and more than 200 others wounded over the last 24 hours by the Islamic State (IS) terrorists in Syria’s predominantly-Kurdish city of Kobane, a monitor group reported on Friday.

Medical sources in Kobane in northern Syria said 146 civilians were gunned down by the IS terrorists since Thursday morning, the time when the IS group infiltrated into parts of the city and detonated three car bombs while engaging in battles against Kurdish fighters affiliated with the People’s Protection Units (YPG), according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

About 72 of the slain people were shot down in the village of Halnaj, 48 others in Maqtaleh district, and 26 civilians in the town of Barkh Butan, said the Observatory, which relies on a network of activists on ground.

The Britain-based watchdog group said the toll was likely to rise as a high number of people have been critically injured.

Tens of women and children were among those killed, said the Observatory, adding it was the second large-scale massacre since the IS terrorists killed over 900 people of the Shuaitat tribe in the eastern Deir al-Zour province.

A day earlier, the IS terrorists infiltrated into Kobane in disguise, wearing the uniform of the Kurdish YPG fighters and allied rebel groups.

The IS members sneaked into parts of the city and snipers fanned out in several areas, triggering violent battles with YPG fighters, during which 28 IS militants were killed.

The IS surprise attack against Kobane has sent the chill down the civilians’ spines there, as the IS overran the city earlier also and was forcibly dislodged out of the city five months ago. (IANS)