Islamic State takes control of new areas in Syria’s east

PanARMENIAN.Net - Opposition activists say Islamic State fighters have captured new areas near the eastern Syrian city of Deir ez-Zor, the Associated Press reports.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says the militants captured areas just north of the city on Monday, January 18 including an army base and an arms depot in the village of Ayash.

Another opposition activist, Omar Abu Leila, says IS fighters captured Ayash, which is just north of another town that IS captured over the weekend.

IS controls most of Deir ez-Zor province and much of the capital with the same name, while the government controls several districts in the northern part of the city and the adjacent military airport.

Syria's government said Sunday that IS killed 300 people in an "appalling massacre" in the city of Deir ez-Zor over the weekend.