Militants Attack Major Air Base in Eastern Syria
The AP reports that the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) fired rockets and shells Wednesday at a major air base in northeastern Syria, the start of an offensive to seize the Syrian regime’s last position in Raqqa.
“The attack on the Tabqa air base had been expected for weeks. Islamic State fighters have tightened their siege of the sprawling facility in recent days, capturing a string of nearby villages,” the wire says.
“The group in recent months has virtually eliminated the presence of President Bashar Assad’s military in Raqqa province, with the exception of Tabqa. The air base is one of the most significant government military facilities in the area, containing several warplane squadrons, helicopters, tanks, artillery and ammunition. Last month, Islamic State fighters overran the sprawling Division 17 military base in Raqqa, killing at least 85 soldiers. Two weeks later, the extremists seized the nearby Brigade 93 base after days of heavy fighting.”
ISIS Takes Four More Western Hostages in Syria
The day after video circulated of an ISIS fighter beheading American hostage James Foley, the Guardian reports that four more Westerners have been taken by the extremist group.
“Flush with looted weapons, buoyed by sweeping gains in Syria and eager to shock, Islamic State militants have seized four more foreign hostages near Aleppo in recent days, taking to more than 20 the number of foreigners they now hold,” writes Martin Chulov. “The latest captives, two Italian women, a Dane and a Japanese national, were seized in or near Syria’s largest city. All held are either reporters, photographers or aid workers taken near Aleppo or Idlib. They have been subsequently moved to Raqqa, the ISIS stronghold in north Syria.
“The abductions have controversially proved good business for Islamic radicals. In the past six months at least 10 hostages, including a Dane, three French nationals and two Spaniards, were freed after lengthy negotiations with captors, who demanded ransoms. Some organizations have insisted on information blackouts about nationals still being held.”
The paper reports that the U.S. also conducted a failed mission to rescue Foley and other hostages earlier this summer, the first confirmation of U.S. military operations within Syria.
“The raid involved dozens of special operations forces from all U.S. military services, including the 160th special operations aviation regiment. U.S. forces flew into Syria in defiance of air defense batteries that senior military officials have described as highly threatening to pilots. Modified Black Hawk helicopters were involved, and ‘armed fixed-wing aircraft and drones’ provided cover to forces on the ground.”
ISIS Video Shows Conversion of Yazidis to Islam
Reuters reports that ISIS has released a video showing thousands of members of Iraq’s minority Yazidi religious sect – who the Sunni militants consider “devil worshippers” – converting to Islam.
Throughout their offensive in northern Iraq, ISIS has stormed villages armed with machine guns and given the Yazidis a choice: die or convert.
“Witnesses have said most of their hundreds of victims were shot dead at close range, while others including women and children were buried alive,” the wire says. “Women who avoided death were rounded up and taken away as slaves, witnesses said. The Islamic State video, which the group called ‘Hundreds of Yazidis convert to Islam,’ gives no indication of the bloodshed that prompted tens of thousands of people to flee.”
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Foreign Policy: Would American Money Have Saved James Foley?