Smoke rises as forces loyal to Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad gather along a damaged street in the town of Morek after regaining control of the area October 24, 2014.

Islamic State of Iraq and Syria group militants have attacked an oil and gas field in Syria, killing at least 30 pro-regime gunmen and security guards, a monitoring group said Wednesday.

“ISIS managed to control parts of the field,” the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which relies on a wide network of sources in the war-torn country, said after Tuesday’s assault at Shaer, in Homs province.

An unknown number of militants were also killed, Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP.

An earlier attack by ISIS fighters on Shaer in July left 270 people dead, including soldiers and pro-regime fighters.

Most were reportedly executed at gunpoint after being taken prisoner.

ISIS has targeted oil and gas facilities in Iraq and Syria as it seeks funds for its fight to seize territory for a self-proclaimed Islamic “caliphate.”

 
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