BEIRUT – At least 30 Syrian Army troops were killed on Wednesday in an attack by the Islamic State jihadist group on the Al-Shaer gas field in the central province of Homs, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

There were reports that the radicals were moving to take control of the gas field after clashes took place on Tuesday, the SOHR added.

Two days ago, the IS took control of three wells in Al-Shaer.

The area was the target of an assault by the extremists in July when at least 350 people killed. The attack was repelled by the Syrian Army after ten days of fighting.

In both Syria and Iraq, the IS has taken over gas and oil fields to fund its military activities.

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