Syrian army foils militant attack on Deir Ezzor airport

[Bleipriester]

ISIS attacked the airport three times in December.

The Syrian army has once again repelled a full-blown offensive by militants belonging to the so-called Islamic State targeting the Deir Ezzor military airport.

Like a mirage in the middle of Syria's dusty desert, Deir Ezzor's military airport stands unabated. The airbase was once again the scene of deadly confrontations between the Syrian army and attacking IS militants in the oil-rich province.

Units bearing the insignia of the Syrian army have successfully defended their positions after IS militants launched a double-barreled operation to assert control over the vital military hub for the third time this month.

Heavy clashes erupted when IS militants tried to overrun the eastern side of the airport, which saw the army using heavy artillery and shells to destroy the militant positions.

Following the desperate attempt, reconnaissance “IS” units tried to infiltrate into the airport, but were forced to retreat, after government forces launched a barrage of artillery and tank fire.

Meanwhile, locals of towns overrun by militant insurgency in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor engaged in a fresh round of clashes with the extremists.

The Syrian State News Agency SANA reported that clashes broke out between residents of Sbeikhan, al-Dweir and al-Keshkiyeh in al-Mayadeen and al-Bukamal following the executions of three civilians from al-Sh'eitat tribe at the hands of the notorious militants.
Al Etejah News Syrian army foils militant attack on Deir Ezzor airport

 

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ISIS kidnaps and beheads 400 in Syria...

ISIS beheads several Syrian civilians in a horrific massacre
Sunday 17 January 2016 - The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a British-based group which monitors the violence on all sides of the Syrian conflict has said that Islamic State militants had kidnapped at least 400 civilians when they attacked government-held areas in the eastern Syrian city of Deir al-Zor. The monitoring group said that families of pro-government fighters were among those abducted.

Activists for the group have also said that atleast 135 have been killed in the assault, at least 80 of them were soldiers and pro-government militiamen and the rest were civilians. The Observatory's head Rami Abdulrahamn has said, "There is genuine fear for their lives, there is a fear that the group might execute them as it has done before in other areas."

Syria's state news agency SANA had earlier said that at least 300 people, including women and children, had been killed during the attacks in Deir al-Zor. The report had then made no mention of any kidnaps. Some reports further pointed out that some of those killed had been beheaded. Deir al-Zor is said to be the main town in a province of the same name. The province links Islamic State's de facto capital in the Syrian city of Raqqa with territory controlled by the militant group in neighboring Iraq.

The Syrian government has condemned the killings which it described as a "horrific massacre against the residents of Begayliya in Deir al-Zor." The government-held areas of the eastern Syrian city have reportedly been under siege by ISIS forces for over a year and more than 200,000 people there are living in horrid conditions and lack food and medicine.

ISIS beheads several Syrian civilians in a horrific massacre