The Islamic State (IS) launched a big assault in the eastern countryside of the Idlib Governorate ob Saturday, July 14, targeting a strategic dam in the northeastern countryside of the Al-Sweida Governorate, Al-Masdar News reports.

IS began the offensive by storming the Syrian Arab Army’s positions at the Al-Zaaf Dam in a bid to retake the ground they lost late last month.

A fierce battle would ensue between the two parties at the Al-Zaaf Dam, resulting in heavy casualties for all parties involved.

However, despite the intensity of the Islamic State attack on the Al-Zaaf Dam, the militant group was unable to breakthrough the Syrian Arab Army’s lines after several hours of fighting.

According to a military source in the provincial capital of Al-Sweida, the Syrian Army and their allies from the National Defense Forces (NDF) and Syrian Social Nationalist Party (SSNP) managed to kill scores of IS militants before restoring security around the Al-Zaaf Dam.

The latest attack by IS marks the second time in the last ten days that they have attempted to advance in the northeastern countryside of the Al-Sweida Governorate.