Special to WorldTribune.com

NICOSIA — The Syrian Army, in its first such ground operation, has sought to stop Al Qaida’s capture of a major natural gas field.

The Syrian Army has been battling Al Qaida’s Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant in their first ground battle. So far, some 300 Syrian soldiers were reported killed in the northern province of Homs.

“A large majority of the men killed were executed at gunpoint after being taken prisoner following the takeover of the camp,” the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

Syrian Observatory said ISIL attacked the Shaar natural gas field in mid-July. The British-based opposition group, in reports confirmed by the regime of President Bashar Assa, said the Syrian Army and National Defense Forces launched a major counter-attack on July 19 and recaptured large parts of the field in which at least 40 ISIL fighters were killed.

“Fighting is continuing around the gas field,” Syrian Observatory director Rami Abdul Rahman said.

The fighting was the first between the Syrian Army and ISIL. For years, the Syrian opposition as well as several allied countries asserted that ISIL was working with the Assad regime to neutralize Sunni rebel militias.

ISIL controls most of northern Syria, much of which was captured from other militias, including Al Qaida’s Nusra Front for the Defense of Levant. Opposition sources said thousands of rebels joined ISIL, attracted by high salaries and advanced weapons.

Syrian Observatory also reported fighting between ISIL and the Syrian Army near a military airport in Dir Al Zour. ISIL was said to have seized most of the northern province.

  Bashar Assad, Dir Al Zour, Hundreds of Syrian forces executed by ISIL after challenging capture of key gas field, Syrian Observatory for Human Rights