90 Syrian Regime Soldiers Killed in Attack by Islamic State Fighters in Aleppo's Eastern Countryside

Photo of the third martyrdom operation that hit Syrian regime forces west of Kuwayris Airbase.

Aleppo - Amaq News Agency: Islamic State soldiers launched an attack from multiple axes against Syrian regime forces and its supporting militias west of Kuwayris Airbase in Aleppo's eastern countryside on Thursday, after which at least 90 members of regime forces were killed.

After intensive preparatory shelling with heavy artillery and mortars that targeted regime positions in the villages of al-'Afash, Tall Maksur, and Tannuzah, Islamic State fighters began their assault with a martyrdom operation using an explosives-ridden truck against regime forces in al-'Afash village that was followed by Islamic State fighters storming the village to erupt into intense clashes inside.

During the clashes a second martyrdom bomber assaulted a gathering of Syrian army and militias in Tall Maksur village after which Islamic State fighters charged a hill between as-Sin and Tall Maksur villages on which regime forces had concentrated.

The hill itself witnessed a counterattack by regime forces reinforced with tanks and armored vehicles hours after, which was then targeted by a third martyrdom bomber with an explosives-ridden truck.

During the assault Islamic State fighters destroyed a tank, a BMP, and a number of vehicles as well as seizing a T-72 tank and a Kornet rocket launchpad, while the shelling by Russian planes, Syrian regime helicopters, rocket launchers, and artillery did not cease throughout the assault, which lasted approximately 12 hours.