|
ISIS troops launch offensive on Homs oilfield
HOMS – Militant fighters of the Islamic State (ISIS) launched an offensive on a regime-held oilfield in Syria’s central Homs province on Monday. ISIS fighters bombed Syrian army headquarters in the vicinity of Jazal oilfield with mortar fire, killing and wounding dozens of soldiers. “The Islamic State fighters attacked an army base near Jazal oilfield east of Homs. The base was exposed to bombardment with dozens of mortar shells on Monday evening,” local media activist Khalid Abdullah Safar told ARA News. At least 18 Syrian soldiers were killed and dozens more wounded in the ISIS-led attack. However, supported by a Russian air cover, the pro-regime forces were able to repel the attack. “Russian fighter jets targeted ISIS positions in eastern Homs with a number of airstrikes, forcing the group to withdraw,” Safar reported. Speaking to ARA News, a Syrian army officer said that ISIS militants were trying to take control of the Jazal oilfield “after losing other oil facilities to the Syrian army, such as al-Shaer oilfield in Homs which has been recently liberated by the army forces”. “The terrorist group is launching such offensives on our army bases from time to time, with a hope to take over strategic areas. But our forces are fully prepared for such attacks. They [ISIS militants] will keep failing until they give up,” the official said. Posted by: badanov 2016-09-20 |
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=468043 |