Islamic State Claims to Have Seized Gas Field from Syrian Army

Islamic State fighters in Syria claimed on Thursday to have taken control of a gas field in the central province of Homs after battles with government forces.

A series of photos posted on social media by Islamic State purported to show the Sha'ar gas field, the bodies of Syrian soldiers and seized weaponry, according to the SITE jihadist website monitoring service.

The report said Islamic State seized five tanks, two infantry combat vehicles, machineguns and ammunition. Reuters could not independently confirm the events.

Rami Abdulrahman, who runs the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said Islamic State was in control of most of the field by late on Thursday but clashes were continuing.

The Observatory, which tracks the conflict through a network of sources, said on Wednesday the assault on the gas field had killed at least 30 pro-government fighters. Syrian state media said dozens of "terrorists" were killed in fighting.

Islamic State first seized the gas field in July, killing some 350 government troops, allied militiamen, guards and staff, according to the Observatory. Government forces recaptured it later that month.

U.S.-led forces have launched attacks on Islamic State in recent weeks. The United States says it is not coordinating with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces to combat the Sunni Islamist group, which has seized large areas of Syria and neighbouring Iraq.

(Reporting by Sylvia Westall; editing by Andrew Roche)