Islamic State (ISIS) jehadists seized control of a key town in the central Syrian province of Homs overnight after heavy clashes with forces loyal to President
Bashar al-Assad, a monitor said on Thursday.
The violent group started the attack on Wednesday when three suicide bombers targeted pro-regime checkpoints at entrances to the city, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
“ISIS seized Al-Qaryatain town in the southeastern countryside of Homs after violent clashes with pro-regime forces and loyalist fighters,” Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said. A total of 37 regime soldiers and loyalist fighters were killed, while 23 IS fighters also died, Abdel Rahman said.