ISIS slaughters 400 women, children in Syria city of Palmyra where hundreds of bodies line the street

Islamic State militants have executed at least 400 mostly women and children in Syria's ancient city of Palmyra. Eye-witnesses have reported the streets are strewn with bodies – the latest victims of the Islamic State's unrelenting savagery - on the same day photographs of captured Syrian soldiers have emerged.

It follows the killing of nearly 300 pro-government troops two days after they captured the city, now symbolised by a black ISIS flag flying above an ancient citadel

Sickening: A picture sent by activists to a Western journalist showed a row of men in a street in Palmyra — known locally by its Arabic name Tadmur — lying in a pool of blood. At least four had been decapitated

Syrian state television announced the most recent massacre, quoting residents inside the city, which is known as Tadmur in Arabic.

'The terrorists have killed more than 400 people.. and mutilated their bodies, under the pretext that they cooperated with the government and did not follow orders,' Syria's state news agency said.

It added that dozens of those killed were state employees, including the head of nursing department at the hospital and all her family members.

Harrowing pictures have also emerged of Syrian army troops captured during the fierce fighting as the city fell. The 20 soldiers, in military clothing, look disheveled as they kneel before cameras.

Officials say the Syrian army is deploying troops in areas near to the ancient town in apparent preparation for a counter-attack to retake the city from the Islamic State group.

Governor Talal Barazi of the central province of Homs, which includes Palmyra, said that IS members have 'committed mass massacres in the city of Palmyra' since its capture.

He said IS fighters took civilians, including women, to unknown destinations.

But he said retaliation was imminent, adding: 'there is planning, God willing, for a military action in the surroundings of Palmyra'.