DAMASCUS (Sputnik) — The troops "were able to repel a series of IS militants' attempts to penetrate the surrounding areas of Deir Ezzor airfield," a military source told Syria's Sana news service on Friday.
One tank, eight machine gun-mounted vehicles as well as two explosives-laden cars have been destroyed with artillery and air backing, the source added.
The civil war in Syria has been lasting for around six years with government troops fighting against numerous opposition factions and terror organizations such as al-Nusra Front and Daesh, outlawed in Russia.