(Zaman Al Wasl)- At least 16 people were killed in the northeastern Deir Ezzor province as fighting intensifies between regime forces and the Islamic State, local activists said Friday.
10 people, including six o f the same family, were killed in ISIS mortar fire on the regime-controlled district of al-Joura.
Activist Ahmed Ramadan said ISIS had fired more than 200 mortar shells on regime areas this week.
Regime and Russia warplanes killed 6 civilians in al-Mayadin city and al-Hamidiyya neighborhood. Slow advance by regime forces were also reported in al-Maqaber district.
Meanwhile, residents of regime-held areas have expressed fears of massacres as the Islamic State group continues its advance on the city.
Besieged by ISIS since early 2015, the regime-controlled third of Deir Ezzor city is home to an estimated 100,000 people.
Since Saturday, ISIS has steadily advanced in a fresh assault on that part of the city, sparking fears among residents of widespread atrocities.
"Civilians in the city are terrified and anxious, afraid that IS will enter (regime-held parts of) the city since they accuse us of being 'regime thugs'," said Abu Nour, 51.
He spoke by phone from inside the city, roughly one kilometre (less than one mile) from approaching ISIS forces.
Deir Ezzor sits in the oil-rich eastern province of the same name, most of which is controlled by IS.
Abu Nour told AFP that residents were haunted by previous abductions and mass executions carried out by ISIS in the broader province.
"The way they killed them is stuck in people's minds here," he said. (With al-Araby al-Jadeed)
10 people, including six o f the same family, were killed in ISIS mortar fire on the regime-controlled district of al-Joura.
Activist Ahmed Ramadan said ISIS had fired more than 200 mortar shells on regime areas this week.
Regime and Russia warplanes killed 6 civilians in al-Mayadin city and al-Hamidiyya neighborhood. Slow advance by regime forces were also reported in al-Maqaber district.
Meanwhile, residents of regime-held areas have expressed fears of massacres as the Islamic State group continues its advance on the city.
Besieged by ISIS since early 2015, the regime-controlled third of Deir Ezzor city is home to an estimated 100,000 people.
Since Saturday, ISIS has steadily advanced in a fresh assault on that part of the city, sparking fears among residents of widespread atrocities.
"Civilians in the city are terrified and anxious, afraid that IS will enter (regime-held parts of) the city since they accuse us of being 'regime thugs'," said Abu Nour, 51.
He spoke by phone from inside the city, roughly one kilometre (less than one mile) from approaching ISIS forces.
Deir Ezzor sits in the oil-rich eastern province of the same name, most of which is controlled by IS.
Abu Nour told AFP that residents were haunted by previous abductions and mass executions carried out by ISIS in the broader province.
"The way they killed them is stuck in people's minds here," he said. (With al-Araby al-Jadeed)
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