Islamist rebel battalions led by al Qaeda-linked fighters seized the largest oil field in eastern Syria on Saturday, activists said, cutting off President Bashar Assad's access to almost all local crude reserves. There was no immediate comment from the government. Losing the al-Omar oil field would mean Assad's forces would be almost completely reliant on imported oil in their fight to end the country's 2-1/2-year revolt. Activists linked to the Nusra Front said its fighters stormed and captured the field, as well as several tanks and a weapons cache.
