Islamic State claims gains in Syria area

BEIRUT — The Islamic State group killed at least 40 U.S.-backed Syrian fighters, captured several alive and regained areas they lost this month in eastern Syria near the Iraqi border in some of the most intense fighting in weeks, a war monitor and an agency linked to IS said Saturday.

Members of the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces have been on the offensive since early September under the cover of airstrikes by the U.S.-led coalition to capture the last pocket held by IS in Syria.

Friday’s fighting that lasted until the early hours of Saturday began when IS, taking advantage of a sandstorm, launched a counteroffensive against SDF positions east of the Euphrates river.

Col. Sean Ryan, spokesman for the U.S.-led coalition, said they have no confirmation of exact figures “as both sides are taking casualties.” He called it a “difficult fight.”

“The sandstorm allowed an ISIS counterattack, which was surprising given the conditions, but now the air is clear and the Coalition will continue to increase air and fire support to assist our partners,” Ryan said using a term to refer to IS.

Rami Abdurrahman, who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said that since Friday IS has killed more than 60 SDF fighters, wounded others and captured at least 20. He added that some 100 SDF fighters have fled the battlefield as the extremist group has carried out suicide car bomb attacks.

The Observatory and the Deir Ezzor 24 activist collective said IS fighters captured the village of Sousa that they had lost control of earlier this week.

The IS-linked Aamaq news agency said that more than 40 SDF fighters were killed and posted a video of six gunmen captured alive.