ISIS Militants Capture Key Syrian Airbase Near Iraq Border

 Written by : Mohamed Abdel Fattah
24 August 2014


Activists say Islamic State militants of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) have captured a major military air base in northeastern Syria, eliminating the last government-held outpost in an area dominated by the extremist group, the Associated Press reported.


The air base at Tabqa, some 40 kilometres east of the city of Raqqa, the last remaining military defense in the region, bolstering the Sunni militants' control on the Raqqa Province. The province's capital, Raqqa, has long served as the group's headquarters,the New York Times reports


The Syrian army's last foothold in an area , is believed to hold dozens of warplanes, helicopters, tanks and artillery  otherwise controlled by the Islamic State group that has seized large areas of Syria and Iraq in recent months.


The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which tracks the conflict from Britain through a network of contacts inside Syria, said more than 500 Syrian soldiers and ISIS fighters died in Raqa after clashes, the Observatory said.

The Observatory said 346 militants and 25 Syrian troops had been killed in the fighting at the airport since last Tuesday, with another 170 soldiers dying during fierce fighting on Sunday.

“One hundred and seventy Syrian soldiers were killed on Sunday in the offensive which led to the ISIS militants seizing Tabqa airport,” the Observatory said in an email to AFP.


Syrian media did not carry any immediate reports on the latest assault. Yesterday, Syrian state television and the national news agency showed measures used to protect the base and said Islamic State had suffered heavy losses in its attacks. It showed footage of bodies it said were militants.


Activists have accused the Syrian army of avoiding confrontations with Islamic State because it has weakened rival rebel groups also battling Assad.


http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/08/24/ISIS-militants-capture-major-Syrian-air-base-in-northeast.html

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/world/article/islamic-state-takes-over-parts-of-syrian-air-base

http://gawker.com/hundreds-killed-as-isis-captures-key-syrian-airbase-nea-1626416726

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