Syrian rebel forces have taken over a town near the Turkish border that had been the main stronghold of so-called Islamic State militants in the northern Aleppo countryside, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and rebel sources said this morning.
The monitor said factions fighting under the banner of the Free Syrian Army, some supplied with arms by Turkey and other foreign backers, captured the town of al-Rai after fierce battles with the militants.
The rebels said their next step was advancing towards the IS-held city of al Bab, south of al Rai and northeast of Aleppo.
The recent gains by the mainly non-jihadist rebels is a boost to Turkey, which has sought to prevent Syrian Kurdish-led forces from expanding their stretch of territory along the border.
It was the first retreat by the IS militants since they made major advances in that area last May against rival insurgents and captured areas close to the Azaz border crossing with Turkey.
Amaq news agency, which is linked to the militants, conceded that forces it described as "US and Turkish-backed opposition brigades" had taken the town after days of intense "US bombing and Turkish artillery" fire.
The news agency said al-Rai fell after heavy clashes and two suicide bombings that led to many casualties among IS opponents.
IS's foothold at the Turkish border was also significantly loosened last year by US-allied Kurdish fighters of the YPG, which gained territory from the group further east.
