Syrian army fights IS despite hostage threat
/E%A1O1 3ro 6yrian government forces advanced in an Islamic 6tate pocket in southwest 6yria yesterday, a military media unit run by 'amascus¶ ally +ezbollah reported, despite a threat to hostages the Mihadists seized last week
6yrian state television broad cast footage from near the scene of the fighting show ing military vehicles moving along a road
Islamic 6tate holds only a small area of 'eraa province near the frontier with the Is raeli occupied *olan +eights, after army advances last week that forced it to retreat
7he group staged a sudden co ordinated attack on :ednes day on the city of 6weida and nearby villages from a separate pocket about km
miles from 'eraa, killing more than people includ ing many civilians, and seiz ing some women as hostages A war monitor, the 6yrian Ob servatory for +uman 5ights, said the army had bombarded the remaining Islamic 6tate territory in 'eraa province 7he +ezbollah media unit said the 6yrian army had ad vanced towards the town of al 6haMara
A non 6yrian source close to 'amascus said the army had paused its offensive early yes terday, but that this was for logistical reasons rather than because of the hostages An informal communications channel had been opened with Islamic 6tate to try to release the hostages, the source said 7he Observatory reported air strikes against Islamic 6tate positions east of 6weida, the city the Mihadists attacked last week
(Reuters)