BEIRUT (Sputnik) — Since May, the Syrian army launched an offensive in the direction of Tabqa, which lies on the way to the city of Raqqa, the Syrian stronghold of the islamists, outlawed in many countries worldwide, including Russia and the United States.
"Fierce fighting near the oil field still continue. At night, parts of the Syrian army drove terrorists out of Ash Shola, but an intensive counterstrike forced them to regroup in the morning. The field is not yet completely liberated," the source said.
Syria has been mired in civil war since 2011, with numerous opposition factions and Islamic extremist groups fighting government forces seeking to topple the government of President Bashar Assad.