Unknown gunmen target oil wells in Deir ez-Zor
DEIR EZ-ZOR, Syria (North Press) – Unknown gunmen targeted on Tuesday eveningg oil wells in the eastern Deir ez-Zor desert in eastern Syria, setting several facilities ablaze.
A local source from the town of al-Ozba in the eastern countryside of Deir ez-Zor told North Press that unidentified armed men attacked oil wells overnight in the desert surrounding the town, using automatic weapons and hand grenades.
The source said the attack caused fires at the wells, forcing most of them to shut down completely, while others sustained partial damage.
The source said that the Islamic State (ISIS) was likely behind the attack, noting that the wells belong to local investors who have repeatedly received threats from the group after refusing to pay money demanded by ISIS under the pretext of “zakat.”