Special to WorldTribune.com

Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL) has reportedly put down mines and placed bombs around historical sites at the Syrian city of Palmyra.

It was not clear if ISIL planted the mines to destroy the ancient ruins at Palmyra or to keep Syrian government forces from advancing on the city controlled by the terror group, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

“They also planted some mines around the Roman theater, we still do not know the real reason,” Rami Abdulrahman, the head of the Observatory, told Reuters.

Syria’s head of antiquities, Maamoun Abdulkarim, said the report of ISIL planting bombs in Palmyra “seems true.”

“The city is a hostage in their hands, the situation is dangerous.”

ISIL has destroyed scores of monuments in other cities it has captured, reportedly because the jihadists consider the historical sites as evidence of paganism.

In May, ISIL seized Palmyra, a city of 50,000 that contains some of the world’s largest and best-preserved ancient Roman ruins.

  ‘Dangerous’: ISIL said to plant mines, bombs at Palmyra historic site, ISIL plants mines, Roman ruins, Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, WorldTribune.com