Syrian army 'destroys rebel ship on Euphrates'

The Syrian army has destroyed a ship carrying armed rebels on the Euphrates River in the northeast of the country, state news agency SANA reported on Saturday.

“An armed forces unit destroyed a ship on the Euphrates carrying terrorists with arms and ammunition,” SANA reported, without providing further details.

It was the first time Syrian state media had reported such an incident on the Euphrates, which runs from the mountains of southeastern Turkey through Syria and Iraq.

In Syria the river passes through the cities of Deir Ezzor, Raqa and Albu Kamal, all of which have seen regime air strikes or clashes between rebels and troops loyal to President Bashar al-Assad.