PALMYRA, Syria, Sept. 24 (UPI) -- More than 100 people were killed after Syrian airstrikes leveled parts of Palmyra, forcing residents to virtually abandon the ancient city, human rights activists said Wednesday.
The UNESCO World Heritage Site has been under siege for months. Syrian airstrikes since last week have killed 33 civilians and 70 fighters thought to belong to the IS -- also identified as ISIS or ISIL. On Tuesday, warplanes and helicopters of the Syrian government dropped barrel bombs and fired missiles, killing at least 12 civilians and 20 fighters, British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
"There are only a few dozen civilians still in the main part of the city," Khaled al-Homsi, a member of the Palmyra Coordination activist group, told Al Jazeera.
Others, he said, are hiding in makeshift bomb shelters.
"There are still a lot of ISIL fighters in the city, but they are now in retreat, in self-defence mode because of the airstrikes," Homsi said.
With the IS now believed to be in control of half of Syria, government airstrikes also hit areas in eastern and southeastern Homs Province. SOHR said some wounded died due to lack of medical staff or equipment.
Raids were also carried out on the villages of Mayer and al-Zahraa in northern Aleppo. At least nine people were also killed in Kafroma with the death toll expected to rise, SOHR said.
