DAMASCUS: Intense battles broke out between the Syrian army and the Islamic State (IS) group in the northern province of Raqqa, a war monitor reported.
The intense battles raged on Wednesday when the IS militants launched a massive offensive against positions of the Syrian army in the desert region of Raqqa, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The Britain-based watchdog group said eight Syrian soldiers and 11 IS militants were killed in the battles. The IS offensive is the latest in a string of attacks the IS militants launched against the Syrian forces in the desert region of Raqqa and the eastern province of Deir al-Zour.–Agencies
