Rebels captured an airport used by Syria's military near the Iraqi border on Saturday, November 17 activists said, a move which they said would allow them to maintain their hold on the recently seized border town of Albu Kamal, according to Reuters.

President Bashar al-Assad's forces have responded by shelling the airport with fighter jets, said a local activist Ziad al-Amir.

Video published by rebel groups showed fighters patrolling a dusty desert air base in Syria's Deir al-Zor province. Plumes of grey smoke rose from some low concrete buildings as fighters examined several abandoned tanks.