The Islamic State attacked the sole remaining government air base in Deir el-Zour province; at least 19 regime troops and seven IS fighters have been killed thus far. The US accused the regime of continuing to use chemical weapons as recently as September. Syrian President Bashar al Assad declared US airstrikes against the Islamic State ineffective. Turkey and the US are moving toward an agreement that would establish a no-fly zone in northern Syria. The US has conducted 14 airstrikes in Syria since Dec. 1, all of them near Kobane.
