Activists say rebels have captured oil pumping station in northern Syria

Activists say Syrian rebels have captured an oil pumping station in the north of the country after days of fighting.

The Local Coordination Committees and the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights say the rebels captured the station in the province of Raqqa on Sunday.

Rami Abdul-Rahman, who heads the Observatory, said the station receives crude oil from the nearby province of Hassakha then pumps it to the central region of Homs, home to one of Syria's two oil refineries.

Rebels have captured in the past months several oil fields in the eastern province of Deir el-Zour that borders Iraq.

The Observatory said the rebels also captured a military post that used to protect the station.

Syria's conflict which began in March last year has killed more than 40,000 people.

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