▁The ▁Sy rian ▁Foreign ▁Minister ▁Wal id ▁M ual lem ▁stated ▁that ▁" K illing ▁civ ili ans ▁in ▁international ▁law ▁means ▁a ▁terror ist ▁ag gression ." ▁ ▁Sy rian ▁Civil ▁War ▁▁ ▁During ▁the ▁Sy rian ▁Civil ▁War , ▁in ▁late ▁July ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁the ▁Free ▁Sy rian ▁Army ▁( F SA ) ▁took ▁over ▁the ▁town , ▁along ▁with ▁its ▁associated ▁border ▁post ▁with ▁Ira q . ▁In ▁early ▁September ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁France ▁ 2 4 ▁reported ▁that ▁the ▁Ham dan ▁military ▁air port ▁was ▁under ▁attack ▁by ▁F SA . ▁On ▁ 1 6 ▁November ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁F SA ▁took ▁over ▁the ▁nearby ▁Ham dan ▁military ▁air port , ▁which ▁was ▁once ▁used ▁to ▁transport ▁farm ▁produce , ▁but ▁was ▁converted ▁to ▁a ▁base ▁for ▁hel ic op ters ▁and ▁military ▁t anks . ▁The ▁capture ▁of ▁Ham dan ▁meant ▁that ▁the ▁Sy rian ▁Army ▁forces ▁now ▁only ▁held ▁one ▁air ▁base ▁in ▁the ▁province ▁- ▁the ▁main ▁military ▁air port ▁in ▁De ir ▁ez - Z or ▁city . ▁ ▁I SI L ▁take over ▁▁ ▁Ab u ▁Kam al ▁was ▁captured ▁by ▁I SI L ▁forces ▁between ▁late - J une ▁and ▁early - J uly ▁ 2 0 1 4 ▁during ▁a ▁three - month ▁off ensive ▁across ▁De ir ▁ez - Z or ▁Governor ate . ▁On ▁ 3 ▁July ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁SO HR ▁said ▁that ▁city ▁of ▁May