IS shoots down Syrian chopper in eastern Syria, casualties feared

DAMASCUS, July 2 (Xinhua) -- The Islamic State (IS) militants shot down a Syrian helicopter airdropping food to the besieged city of Deir al-Zour in eastern Syria on Sunday, causing unknown number of casualties, state TV reported.

The helicopter was targeted and set ablaze while airdropping food aid over the IS-seiged city, the report said.

Syrian authorities opted to airdrop food and other daily necessities to the besieged residents in Deir al-Zour amid talks of an imminent military operation to break the siege on that oil-rich city near the Iraqi border.