IS retakes strategic central town from Syria's gov't troops

The Islamic State (IS) militant group retook control of a central Syrian town on Thursday, just two weeks after the Syrian army backed by Russian airstrikes managed to capture it, a well-informed source and activists said.

The IS militants succeeded on Thursday in retaking the strategic town of Mahin and its surrounding hills as well as the town of Hawarin in the central province of Homs, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Intense clashes are still incessant on the outskirts of the two towns, the UK-based watchdog group added.

Meanwhile, a source told Xinhua that the IS militants also overran munition depots south of Mahin, located in the southeastern countryside of Homs.

The aim of the attack, the source continued, is to enable the IS to circle around the Syrian government troops in the nearby towns of Qaryatain and Hawarin.

The army units withdrew from Mahin and repositioned in the nearby town of Sadad, which was also attacked by the IS a month ago, but the attack then was foiled, according to the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

He noted that the Syrian army is amassing troops in Sadad to unleash a counter-offensive on Mahin, adding that intense clashes are currently underway between the IS and the army in the town of Hadath, which is located between Sadad and Mahin.

Last month, soldiers loyal to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad took control of Mahin from the militants.

Mahin is crucial for the IS group and the government troops due to its strategic location near the international road, which is the main lifeline of the Syrian troops between the capital Damascus in the south, Homs and the northern region. Enditem