The Paracuellos massacres (Matanzas de Paracuellos) a series of mass killings of civilians and soldiers by the Republicans. It took place before and during the Battle for Madrid during the early stages of the Spanish Civil War. Thousands of political prisoners and military personnel had been incarcerated in Madrid since before the start of the war in July 1936 (around 5,000). A majority of prisoners, who were told they would be set free, were taken by trucks to fields outside Paracuellos del Jar