The slaughter of Palmyra's citizens: First images emerge from Syrian city over-run by ISIS…

Shocking images emerged today showing decapitated bodies strewn across blood-filled streets in Palmyra – victims of the Islamic State's unrelenting savagery as they stormed the ancient city.

The terror group have now seized full control of the historic settlement, putting the world heritage site and its priceless 2,000-year-old artefacts at risk of destruction.

The jihadis have also captured the military air base, intelligence headquarters and its notorious prison, where hundreds of inmates have reportedly been liberated.

British-based monitoring group, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), said ISIS now controlled half of all territory in the war-torn country.

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Seized: Smoke rises over the ancient ruins of Palmyra as the Islamic State takes full control of the city after violent clashes with pro-government forces, the first time it has claimed a city from President Assad's regime

Butchered: Horrific images posted online show decapitated bodies strewn across a street, victims of the terror group's unrelenting savagery as they rampaged through the city

Jail break: This picture shared on several pro-ISIS Twitter account claims to show prisoners celebrating with their liberators after being freed from the notorious Tadmur prison by ISIS fighters in the city of Palmyra

Pro-government forces beat a hasty retreat late last night after 100 fighters were slaughtered in violent clashes in just a few hours.

It is the first time ISIS has claimed a city directly from the Syrian army and allied forces, which have already lost ground in the northwest and south to other insurgent groups in recent weeks.

Beibares Tellawi, an activist in Homs province, said the militants had reached Tadmur prison, where thousands of Syrian dissidents have been imprisoned and tortured over the years.

The fate of the prisoners was not immediately known, although pro-ISIS Twitter accounts shared a image claiming to show inmates celebrating with militants after being set free.

The jihadis have also seized control of the Jazl oil field in the Homs countryside.

Government war planes responded by carrying out air strikes on ISIS positions in the city.

Rami Abdulrahman, the head of SOHR, who bases his information on a network of sources on the ground, said there were so far no reports of destruction of the city's historic artefacts.

The city is home to a UNESCO World Heritage site, including ancient temples and colonnaded streets, which previously attracted thousands of tourists.

ISIS claim to have seized part of World Heritage-listed Palmyra

Driven out: Pro-government forces have withdrawn after 100 fighters were killed in clashes overnight

Syrian state TV said pro-government forces managed to secure safe exit for most of the civilian population

Syria's antiquities chief said previously the insurgents would destroy ancient ruins if they took control of it.

He said the group was in control of a hospital in the city which Syrian forces had used as a base before withdrawing.

'The situation is very bad,' Syria's antiquities chief, Mamoun Abdulkarim, said after ISIS captured a northern section of the city earlier in the day.

'If only five members of ISIS go into the ancient buildings, they'll destroy everything,' he added, calling for international action to save the city.

Syrian state TV reported that pro-government forces had managed to secure safe exit for most of the civilian population.

The jihadists sparked international outrage this year when they blew up the ancient Assyrian city of Nimrud and smashed artefacts in the museum of Mosul, both in Iraq.

Archaeological jewel: The city is home to a UNESCO World Heritage site and Syria's antiquities chief has said the insurgents would destroy ancient ruins if they took control of it

Under threat: Hundreds of statues and artefacts from Palmyra's museum have been transferred out of the city

Hundreds of statues and artefacts from Palmyra's museum have been transferred out of the city, according to Abdulkarim, but many others – including massive tombs – could not be moved.

News of Palmyra's fall came after a State Department official said the weekend loss of Ramadi had prompted the U.S take an 'extremely hard look' at its strategy to confront the extremists.

The fall of Ramadi, their most significant victory since mid-2014 when they conquered swathes of land, sparked a US-led air campaign to support Baghdad.

On Wednesday, the Anbar police chief was dismissed, after video footage emerged online suggesting security personnel deserted their posts at the height of the ISIS offensive.

Facing destruction: Frescoes in the tomb of three brothers in the Valley of Tombs in Palmyra

A Marble altar depicting the Goddess Allat with a lion from the Temple of Baal Shamin in Palmyra, Syria

Prime spot: The ancient city of Palmyra stood on a caravan route at the crossroads of several civilisations and is now at the edge of an into which ISIS has moved

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