Unidentified aircraft kills 22 civilians in IS-held Syria village

Islamic State militants have taken control of key strategic hilltops overlooking the eastern part of the Homs after bloody clashes

Civilians inspecting aftermath of a Syrian government air strike (AFP)

Wednesday 28 December 2016 

Air strikes carried out by unidentified aircraft killed at least 22 civilians, including 10 children, in a village held by the Islamic State group in eastern Syria, a monitor said on Wednesday.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the civilians were from two families at Hojna in Deir Ezzor, which borders Iraq and is the country's second biggest province after Homs.

The oil-rich province is almost completely under the control of the IS and has been regularly targeted by the US-led military coalition and pro-government forces. 

The only part of the eastern province outside of IS control is its capital, which is also named Deir Ezzor, which is held by forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

The IS group also gained more control of territory in Syria's central governate of Homs on Tuesday, according to reports. 

Following clashes with Syrian government troops, the militants took control of key strategic hill tops overlooking the eastern part of the city of Homs. 

“ISIS launched a fierce attack on headquarters of the pro-regime forces in the vicinity of al-Qaryatain town, using mortar shells and Grad rockets. The heavy bombardment forced the army to withdraw from the Black Hills, that are now under ISIS control,” media activist Amro al-Hussein told ARA News in Homs.

According to ARA News bombardment by IS resulted in dozens of casualties in the ranks of the Syrian army. 

IS two weeks ago took control of the strategic T4 airbase from the Syrian government after taking control of various security checkpoints nearby in the Mashtal and Qasr al-Hir district east of Homs. The T4 base is located strategically along the main route between Palmyra and Homs city.

The militants besieged the airbase and destroyed at least five warplanes in the attack. 

IS advances in Homs

IS earlier this month recaptured the ancient city of Palmyra in Homs that led to bloody clashes with forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad as well as taking control of a key supply route used by the Syrian government to support its troops in the east of the country.

In Syria, IS is targeted by warplanes of the US-led coalition as well as Turkey, the Syrian regime and its ally Russia in the northern province of Aleppo, Deir Ezzor and IS's stronghold of Raqqa.

The US-led coalition bombed Syrian army positions during a clash with IS in September in Deir Ezzor, killing dozens of soldiers, although the coalition said the strikes were accidental. Russia claimed the hour-long attack was deliberate.

On Wednesday the US State Department denied claims made by Turkish President Recep Tayyib Erdogan that the Americans were supporting IS as well as Kurdish YPG forces.