Syrian army advanced on the northern Islamic State-held city of al-Bab on Monday, cutting off the last supply route that connects it to jihadist strongholds further east towards Iraq, a monitor said.
Backed by air strikes, they severed a road that links the city to other Islamic State-held territory in Raqqa and Deir al-Zor provinces, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a British-based war monitor, said.
Syria advanced toward al-Bab, completing the encirclement of the Islamic State-held town which had been partially besieged by Turkey-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA) terrorists.
Islamic State militants in the area are now surrounded by the army from the south and by Turkish-backed militants from the north. The Syrian government and the Turkish-backed militants are not coordinating their operations. Turkish troops and allied FSA militants, known as Euphrates Shield, have been trying to seize the town for weeks in fighting that has killed dozens of Turkish troops.
The Syrian government condemned the incursion when Turkish troops crossed the border in August.
