Islamic State jihadists engaged in a bloody rampage in the Kurdish-majority Syrian city of Kobani and its environs on Friday, officials said, executing at least 142 civilians before withdrawing as vicious fighting continued in the town for a second day.
Idriss Naasan, vice minister for foreign affairs in Kobani's Kurdish administration, said Islamic State's aim was to terrorize the population of the community near the Turkish border, which was the scene of heavy fighting last year.
"They tried to kill the largest number of civilians, so they roamed around neighborhoods and targeted them," said Naasan, explaining that many women and children had been taken hostage by the militant group, complicating efforts to rout the extremists from the town.