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almasdarnews.com 




damascus, syria (2:05 p.m.) <u+2013> the islamic state of iraq and al-sham (isis) launched a large-scale offensive in the eastern countryside of the homs governorate on thursday, targeting the al-mahr gas fields and key town of jubb al-jarrah. 




initially, the offensive got off to a good start for the terrorist forces, as they managed to shoot down a russian attack chopper near the al-sha<u+2019>er mountains. 




not long after shooting down the attack chopper, isis stormed both jubb al-jarrah and the al-mahr gas fields, resulting in a heated battle with the syrian armed forces that lasted for several hours on thursday. 




the syrian army<u+2019>s stiff defenses proved impregnable on thursday after the islamic state suffered heavy losses to both military personnel and equipment in eastern homs. 




according to an al-masdar field correspondent in damascus, the syrian armed forces killed a total of 28 islamic state terrorists at al-mahr and jubb al-jarrah, forcing the aforementioned terrorist group to withdraw their assault before sundown on thursday. 




also read turkish-backed rebels recapture key town in northern aleppo related
isis fails to produce any gains in east homs after russian chopper crash - russia news now
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