Syrian Observatory: U.S.-led Strikes on IS Hit Entrance to Main Gas Plant

إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية W460

The U.S.-led coalition against jihadists in Syria struck late Sunday the entrance to the country's main gas plant, in an apparent warning to Islamic State (IS) militants to abandon the premises under their control, a monitor said.

"The international coalition has for the first time struck the entrance and prayer area of the Coneco gas plant. It is under IS control, and is the largest in Syria," said Syrian Observatory for Human Rights director Rami Abdel Rahman.

The United States and a group of mainly Gulf Arab allies launched strikes against jihadist positions in Syria on Tuesday, a month and a half after strikes against IS jihadists began in neighboring Iraq.

Strikes also hit IS targets both in its Raqa province stronghold and in Aleppo province further west.

The coalition strikes hit jihadist targets outside Raqa city, the de facto headquarters of IS in Syria, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

They also hit targets around the town of Minbej, east of second city Aleppo, that reportedly included IS-controlled grain silos, it said.

The coalition already hit IS targets around Minbej on Saturday. 

Up until Sunday, the strikes had targeted mainly jihadist bases and makeshift oil refineries used by the militants, in a bid to weaken one of their main sources of financing.

The strike against the Coneco gas plant's entrance and prayer area "did not kill any jihadists, though it did injure some of them", Abdel Rahman told Agence France Presse.

"It appears as though the international coalition is trying to force the jihadists to leave the plant," he said.

The Coneco gas plant is located in eastern Syria's Deir Ezzor province, which is the country's richest in oil and is located on the Iraq border.

The strike could have significant consequences not only for the jihadists, but also for areas under President Bashar Assad's control.

"The Coneco gas plant feeds the Jandar power station located in (regime-held) Homs province," said Abdel Rahman.

"If the Coneco plant stops functioning completely, several regime-held areas, as well as IS-controlled Deir Ezzor province will be left without electricity," he warned.

Before the IS militants took over Deir Ezzor province earlier this year, jihadists from the rival Al-Nusra Front and local tribes had an agreement with Assad's regime to keep the Coneco gas plant up and running.

In exchange for gas, the regime allowed electricity for Deir Ezzor province.

"That agreement was maintained when the IS took over," said Abdel Rahman.

Comments 5
Default-user-icon Neal (Guest) 29 September 2014, 07:28

what do you they had an agreement ? i thought they are fighting to over threw the ASAD regime and they are the sworn enemies , well on that note all i can say is long live the Syrian civil war . many more years of destruction and death .... i hope

Thumb Mystic 29 September 2014, 10:29

American propaganda. These airstrikes on ISIS, will only strengthen them further.

Thumb Mystic 29 September 2014, 17:51

You are too predictable to admin it, you really are a blind minion, if you believe these airstrikes, are to help Syrians. When did the U.S ever care about anything else, than themselves? Can you answer me that?

Default-user-icon Hammerhead (Guest) 29 September 2014, 11:11

Why would we beg the us to bomb Arsal FT? According to you we are with the Jihadists attacking Arsal. Who is the hypocrite now?

Default-user-icon refried bassil beans (Guest) 29 September 2014, 15:08

Danm, were is Assad gonna get his black market gas now!