Islamic State Hits Back Against Syrian Rebels North of Aleppo

Image Caption: A rebel fighter takes away a flag that belonged to Islamic State militants in Akhtarin village, after rebel fighters advanced in the area, in northern Aleppo Governorate, Syria, October 7, 2016. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi

BEIRUT – Islamic State militants captured several villages from Syrian rebels in a counter-attack near the Turkish border that forced the foreign-backed insurgents to retreat, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported.

The rebels, whom Turkey has supported with tanks and air strikes, had been pushing towards the IS stronghold of Dabiq, a village with symbolic importance to the jihadists.

The IS attack, which began late on Friday, retook villages including Akhtarin and pushed towards Turkman Bareh, some 3 km (2 miles) east of Dabiq, said the British-based Observatory, which tracks the war using contacts on the ground.

(Source: ABS-CBN.com)