Syria's Islamist rebels on Friday have recaptured territory from Islamic State in northern province of Aleppo near an area where Turkey and the United States are planning to open a new front against the group, rebel sources said.
On Thursday the hardline Sunni group was able to seize five villages near Marea town, some 20 km (12 miles), south of the Turkish border, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. But at Friday's dawn rebels have taken control of Sandaf and harajlah villages after fierce clashes, dozens of ISIS fighters were killed, Abu al-Abed, field commander in al-Shamiya Front, told Zaman al-Wasl.
Abu al-Abed also said that ISIS had targeted Dahla village with toxic gas on Thursday, many of suffocation cases reported.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told Reuters on Monday that the two NATO allies would soon launch "comprehensive" air operations to flush Islamic State fighters from the border region.
The villages captured by Islamic State include two that the al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front recently handed over to another Syrian rebel group.
Islamic State has escalated attacks against Syrian rebels in the northern Aleppo countryside since Turkey announced plans to drive the group from the area.
The Nusra Front, which is hostile to Islamic State, announced earlier this month that it would withdraw from the area where Turkey plans to establish a buffer zone.
On Thursday the hardline Sunni group was able to seize five villages near Marea town, some 20 km (12 miles), south of the Turkish border, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. But at Friday's dawn rebels have taken control of Sandaf and harajlah villages after fierce clashes, dozens of ISIS fighters were killed, Abu al-Abed, field commander in al-Shamiya Front, told Zaman al-Wasl.
Abu al-Abed also said that ISIS had targeted Dahla village with toxic gas on Thursday, many of suffocation cases reported.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told Reuters on Monday that the two NATO allies would soon launch "comprehensive" air operations to flush Islamic State fighters from the border region.
The villages captured by Islamic State include two that the al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front recently handed over to another Syrian rebel group.
Islamic State has escalated attacks against Syrian rebels in the northern Aleppo countryside since Turkey announced plans to drive the group from the area.
The Nusra Front, which is hostile to Islamic State, announced earlier this month that it would withdraw from the area where Turkey plans to establish a buffer zone.
Zaman Al Wasl
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