You're reading: Syrian rebels capture oil pumping station

BEIRUT — Activists say Syrian rebels have captured an oil pumping station in the north of the country after days of fighting.

The Local
Coordination Committees and the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for
Human Rights say the rebels captured the station in the province of
Raqqa on Sunday.

Rami Abdul-Rahman, who heads the Observatory,
said the station receives crude oil from the nearby province of Hassakha
then pumps it to the central region of Homs, home to one of Syria’s two
oil refineries.

Rebels have captured in the past months several oil fields in the eastern province of Deir el-Zour that borders Iraq.

The Observatory said the rebels also captured a military post that used to protect the station.

Syria’s conflict which began in March last year has killed more than 40,000 people.