Syria: Islamic State fighters seize hospital in advance on Syrian government forces
The Islamic State group launched an offensive against government forces in eastern Syria on Saturday and captured several buildings, including a hospital, in clashes that left more than two dozen people dead on both sides.
Deir el-Zour, near the border with Iraq, is split between government forces and IS fighters. Government-held areas have been under a months-long siege by the extremists, and the U.N. has been airdropping aid to residents amid food and medicine shortages.
The Local Coordination Committees, an activist-run collective, said IS fighters have captured the Assad hospital, university dorms and grain silos in an advance that began at dawn.