IS swept through rebel-held territory early yesterday in a shock offensive in Aleppo province, cutting off the main road between Marea and Azaz, 20 kilometres (12 miles) to the northeast near the Turkish border.
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Islamic State fighters captured territory from Syrian rebels in an area near the Turkish border on Friday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported.
The Islamic State has also gained ground near the city of Aleppo, where forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and anti-government rebels are entrenched in fighting.
The fighting added to the civilian exodus, with more heading to Azaz as well as the empty area along the border.
Thousands of civilians have fled an offensive by the ISIL group against the opposition in northern Syria into territory controlled by a USA -backed Kurdish-led alliance, a monitor said on Sunday. The Local Coordination Committees network said the strikes on the al-Waer neighborhood killed four people and injured 17, including a number of children.
The jihadist group launched the offensive Thursday in response to a potential assault by rebels, some of whom are supported by the United States, Reuters reports. “Fleeing civilians are being caught in the cross-fire and are facing challenges to access medical services, food, water, and safety”, the statement said.
World powers, including the United States and Russian Federation which support opposing sides in Syria’s civil war, are at a loss as to how to jumpstart peace talks which collapsed in Geneva earlier this year.
The conflict in Syria remains the main driver of the refugee crisis, forcing more than 4.8 million people to become refugees in neighboring countries.
A route known as the Azaz corridor links rebel-held eastern Aleppo with Turkey.
Islamic State has been battling rebel factions fighting under the banner of the Free Syrian Army since late in 2015, but clashes have intensified in recent weeks.
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He said the loss of the Azaz corridor would be detrimental for Turkey, which would no longer have proxy capability in northern Syria’s most strategic province, and complicate US efforts to fight IS in the area.
