Islamic State militants burned to death 45 people in the Iraqi town of al-Baghdadi, the local police chief said, according to the BBC.

It was not immediately clear why the individuals were killed, but authorities suspected many were members of security forces.

The news comes on the heels of a horrifying video released by the Islamic State which purported to show militants burning a Jordanian pilot to death in a cage.

Much of al-Baghdadi, a western Iraqi town that had been under attack for months, fell to Islamic State control last week, the BBC reported.

The Iraqi government and international community have been requested by local authorities to provide assistance, the BBC reported.

—

Follow Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) on Twitter