Jihadists from the Islamic State group have seized the Tabqa military airport, the last remaining Syrian army base in northern Raqa province. (File pic)
Beirut:
Jihadists from the Islamic State group have seized the Tabqa military airport, the last remaining Syrian army base in northern Raqa province, a monitoring group and state media said Sunday.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said clashes were still taking place on the outskirts of the airport, but the facility was under IS control and strewn with bodies of "dozens" of soldiers.
Syrian state television, meanwhile, reported the "evacuation" of the airport, citing a military source.
"After heavy fighting by the forces defending the Tabqa airport, our forces implemented a regrouping operation after the evacuation of the airport," state television said in a breaking news alert.
It added that army troops were launching "precision strikes" against "terrorist groups in the area, inflicting heavy losses."
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said clashes were still taking place on the outskirts of the airport, but the facility was under IS control and strewn with bodies of "dozens" of soldiers.
Syrian state television, meanwhile, reported the "evacuation" of the airport, citing a military source.
"After heavy fighting by the forces defending the Tabqa airport, our forces implemented a regrouping operation after the evacuation of the airport," state television said in a breaking news alert.
It added that army troops were launching "precision strikes" against "terrorist groups in the area, inflicting heavy losses."
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