IS show off spoils from Russian base in Palmyra

Islamic State group militants have released a video showing booty captured from a Russian military base near Palmyra.

It followed the surprise seizure of the central Syrian city over the weekend by IS fighters.

Scenes from the film point to a speedy getaway by the Russian troops based at the camp who barely had time to take their belongings, let alone destroy the huge arsenal of weapons left behind.

Russian-language books were left open on tables, bowls of food sat untouched, and credit cards lay scattered on the floor. 

It showed a chaotic and hurried retreat by the Russians, who at the same time were helping regime troops capture Aleppo city from rebels.

Analysts believe the concentration of overstretched pro-regime forces on the Aleppo offensive allowed IS fighters to walk into Palmyra with little resistance.

In the short film, IS militants are seen smiling as they tour the complex made up of tidy white tents and a few brick buildings. One wall is painted with the mural of the Russian coat of arms, while another shows two doves decked in Russian and Syrian flags.

Worryingly, the militants also laid their hands on a huge stockpile of arms and ammunition which fighters were happy to show off to pro-IS Amaq news agency cameras.

Among the weapons seized were dozens of assault rifles, hundreds of AK-47 cartridges, vehicles, explosives and artillery.

Syrian rebels fighting IS in Aleppo province reportedly had two tanks knocked out on Monday by the militants shortly after the capture of Palmyra.

Many suspect that the rockets came directly from regime and Russian camps that IS took on Sunday to al-Bab.

With the fall of the nearby regime-Russian T4 air base also appearing imminent, the jihadis could gain more heavy firepower to be used against rebels battling IS for its key logistics hub, al-Bab.