BEIRUT - Syrian State News Agency SANA is reporting that Islamic State militants in the country's central province of Homs have lobbed mortars at natural gas pipelines, putting some production lines out of service.

Syrian Minister of Electricity Mohammad Zuheir Kharboutli told State TV the attack on the southern factory will reduce its capacity to generate power by 65 percent. The Oil Minister Ali Ghanim said the factory feeds the national grid with 6.6 million cubic meters a day but he added maintenance was underway to restore full operations.

Islamic State militants have been battling government troops around the gas lines in Homs since December.

The attacks came hours after a separate attack in Homs city against security offices, which were claimed by al-Qaida-linked insurgents.