IS captures key Syrian Tabqa air base. Hundreds killed in battle

Two weeks of fierce fighting ended Sunday with an Islamist siege force breaking through into the strategic Tabqa airbase southwest of their northern stronghold of Raqqa. Hundreds of the 1,000 Syrian soldiers trapped there were killed. This is IS’s second major victory after conquering Iraq’s second city of Mosul in early July. See DEBKAfile’s exclusive report.