U.S.-backed forces capture big gas field in Syria's Deir al-Zor - senior commander

AMMAN (Reuters) - U.S.-backed forces said on Saturday they had seized a major natural gas field in Syria's Deir al-Zor province from Islamic State militants in rapid advances since the start of an operation earlier this month to capture areas east of the Euphrates river.

Commander Ahmed Abu Khawla told Reuters that the Conoco gas field was the first of its kind taken by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), an alliance of Kurdish and Arab militias, since it began an offensive earlier this month to capture the eastern province.