The Islamic State (IS) launched a massive offensive at the Deir ez-Zor Airport on Sunday, February 5 night, targeting the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) at the northern flank of this military installation, Al Masdar News reports.

IS began the assault by storming the Al-Maqabar area and Ta’ameen Brigade base at the northern flank of Deir ez-Zor Airport; this resulted in a series of intense clashes at around 11 pm (Damascus Time) on Sunday evening.

Despite the intensity of the Islamic State assault tonight, they were unable to achieve to penetrate the Syrian Arab Army’s front-lines, resulting in their eventual withdrawal.

According to a soldier in Deir ez-Zor, the Islamic State assault on the airport was mostly defended by joint forces comprised of the Syrian Arab Army’s “Nafiz Asadullah Squad” and local tribesmen.

In response to the Islamic State’s offensive, the Russian Air Force has carried out several airstrikes inside the Deir ez-Zor governorate, hitting the terrorist group’s main supply lines from Mohassan.