An "Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant" (ISIL) counter-attack on Syrian regime forces advancing towards a northern Syria town on Monday (June 13th) left 28 dead, AFP reported.
Early Monday, dozens of ISIL fighters attacked regime positions south of the town of Tabqa, an ISIL stronghold on the Euphrates River, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said fierce clashes broke out, but that regime forces were able to maintain their positions and were still 15 kilometres from the ISIL-held Tabqa airport.
"Eleven regime fighters and 17 ISIL fighters were killed in the attack," Abdel Rahman said.
The town lies some 50 kilometres east of al-Raqa city. Last week, ISIL fighters sent reinforcements into Tabqa in anticipation of a battle.
Abdel Rahman said a total of 37 regime fighters and 101 ISIL militants have been killed since the regime launched its offensive for Tabqa.
