BEIRUT: The Islamic State group gained ground around a key eastern Syrian city on Sunday, a monitor said, despite a heavy air strikes by government warplanes.
The militants pressed their brutal assault on Deir Ezzor for the second day, seizing territory near an air base on the city’s edges, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
“IS seized several hilltops that overlook the airport,” and clashes gripped the area on Sunday, said Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman.
The advance came “despite more than 120 air strikes carried out by regime forces on militant positions since Saturday morning, in addition to heavy artillery fire,” he said.
