ISIL ' advances towards eastern Syria airbase

Group claims to have captured village near strategic airbase
in Deir ez-Zor which they plan to target now.
The Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL) has said it
has taken control of a village near a key government airbase
that it now plans to target in the province of Deir ez-Zor.
ISIL on Thursday claimed it was advancing towards the
strategic military base, located just outside of the provinical
capital , which has long been used by government forces to
launch air raids on opposition fighters .
Members of ISIL uploaded a video to social media
purportedly showing the armed group in control of the Al
Jafra village .
Gaining control of the area surrounding the base is also
important to access its rich oilfields , which has been fought
over since the country ' s conflict began in 2011 .
Another one of ISIL' s main targets in the region is a large
weapons depot .
ISIL currently governs over most of Deir ez-Zor,
including half of the provincial capital , but the Syrian
government has maintained control over some parts of it .
Losing the strategic airbase could be a major blow to
government forces in the province.