August 1, 2018 - 11:26 AMT
Islamic State "attempts to infiltrate Syrian army defenses" near airport

The Islamic State (IS) launched a surprise attack in the northern countryside of the Al-Sweida Governorate on Tuesday, July 31 night, which targeted the Syrian Arab Army’s (SAA) positions near the Khalkhalah Airport, Al-Masdar News reports.

According to the pro-government National Defense Forces (NDF), the Islamic State terrorists attempted to infiltrate the Syrian Army’s positions to the south of Khalkhalah Airport after entering the area from the Badiya Al-Sham region.

However, despite surprising the Syrian Arab Army near Khalkhalah Airport, the Islamic State terrorists were ultimately unable to reach the strategic installation after several hours of fighting.

The Islamic State does not often launch attacks in the area, but due to their recent string of losses in southwest Syria, the terrorist group has become desperate to expand their presence inside the country.

In addition to launching an attack near the Khalkhalah Airport, the Islamic State also attempted to advance near the Safa Canyon in the northeastern part of the province.

Intense clashes are still ongoing in northeast Al-Sweida, as the Islamic State attempts to recapture several areas they lost in June.