ISLAMIC State (Isis) forces seized control of Mahin in Syria’s central province of Homs yesterday after intensive clashes with government troops.

According to a spokesman, the terrorist army’s troops were pushing onward to the majority-Christian town of Sadad, which is home to the country’s Assyrian Christian minority and is where the ancient Aramaic language is still spoken.

Mahin is 15 miles east of the main road that links the central province to Damascus.