Islamic State seizes central Syrian town near key highway
The Islamic State has expanded its presence in central Syria, seizing control of a town that lies near a highway leading to the capital, Damascus, activists and the group said Sunday.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said after intensive clashes with government troops, ISIS captured Mahin in the central province of Homs on Sunday and were now pushing their way northwest toward the majority-Christian town of Sadad. The town is home to Syria's Assyrian Christian minority and the ancient language of Aramaic is still spoken there.
Mahin is 25 kilometers (15 miles) east of the highway that links the central province to Damascus. The town also houses a large military complex and arms depots-- and was scene of intense clashes between government troops and al-Qaida's affiliate in Syria in 2013 before the government recaptured it.
