Syria: IS kidnaps 300 Al Badia cement workers

Some 300 employees and contractors of the Al-Badia Cement plant have been abducted by Islamic State (IS) militants in Dumeir, some 30km northeast of the Syrian capital, Damascus. The hostages were taken to a spot where IS had launched an assault against forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad earlier in the week.

There have been no successful efforts in establishing contact with any of the workers, according to state-run news agency Sana.

No further details of the abduction are known apart from that it occurred amid heavy fighting in the north of the country on Thursday. Syrian opposition have advanced on Isis strongholds such as al-Rai in northern Aleppo, close to the border with Turkey.

The 3.2Mta Al-Badia Cement plant is located in Abu El Shamat area, 80 km from Damascus and is part of the Italcementi Group which has a joint venture with the Saudi Muhaidib Group.