Jihadis Take Over at Least Part of Syrian Air Base
Islamic State takes over parts of Syrian air base: monitor
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/jihadis-part-syrian-air-base-25101754Islamic State fighters broke through the defenses of a major military air base in northeastern Syria on Sunday, seizing control of at least part of a facility that is the last government-held outpost in an area dominated by the extremist group, activists said.
The Islamic State group launched its long-anticipated offensive last week to seize the sprawling Tabqa air field, located some 45 kilometers (25 miles) from the extremists' powerbase in the city of Raqqa. The air base is one of the most significant government military facilities in the area, containing several warplane squadrons, helicopters, tanks, artillery and ammunition.
After several failed efforts to breach the facility's walls in recent days, Islamic State fighters managed to punch through and storm the air field Sunday, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
The Muslim extremists captured at least part of the base, while fighting raged for the remaining sections still in the military's hands, the Observatory said, adding that government warplanes were conducting airstrikes against the attacking forces.
The Observatory said at least 100 Islamic State group fighters have been killed and 300 wounded in the fighting for the base. It put regime dead at 25.
Another activist group, the Local Coordination Committees, says the jihadis have taken full control of the airfield.
Islamic State takes over parts of Syrian air base: monitor
http://news.yahoo.com/islamic-state-retreats-north-syrias-homs-monitor-114213356.htmlBEIRUT (Reuters) - Islamic State militants stormed an air base in northeast Syria on Sunday, capturing parts of it from government forces after days of fighting over the strategic location, a monitoring group said.