Islamic State terrorists fresh from the conquest of the last Syrian military base in the north of the country sent a "special message" to Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, as well as his key ally, Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Tabqa airbase was taken after prolonged and intensive fighting which left hundreds of Islamic State and pro-regime forces dead. Its conquest meant that the Islamic State now controls all of Syria's northern Raqqa Province, as well as much of the northeast of the country.
After finally taking the base, the Islamic State released a video showing the mass execution of some 250 regime fighters, who were first ordered to march through the desert stripped to their underwear. Jihadis also circulated pictures of heavy weaponry and Russian-made MiG fighter jets they had seized.
In a video dated August 31, a group of Arab IS fighters address Assad directly from inside a hangar in the base.