Turkish troops and allied terrorists, Free Syrian Army (FSA), on Saturday entered the Islamic State-held town of Al-Bab in northern Syria, as government forces moved closer to the jihadist bastion, a monitor said.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said Turkish forces and allied terrorists entered Al-Bab from the west and then took full control of its western suburbs after fierce clashes with the jihadists.
The Turkish-backed and al-Qaeda affiliated Ahrar al-Sham terrorist group announced Saturday on Twitter that opposition forces had taken the city's silos and sports complex in its southwestern districts.
Al-Bab is the jihadist group's last stronghold in the northern province of Aleppo and is also being targeted by the Syrian army. The Turkish-backed terrorist groups are racing to seize al-Bab before rival Syrian army forces arrive.
Turkey began Euphrates Shield operation inside Syria in August, targeting both IS and Kurdish militia. After initial rapid progress, the campaign has been mired since December in the deadly fight for Al-Bab. The forces have managed to capture just one-tenth of al-Bab, SOHR said, despite reaching its outskirts seven weeks ago.
Al-Bab lies about 30 kilometres (19 miles) from the Turkish border.
SYRIAN ARMY LIBERATED TADIF
Syrian army forces backed by the Russian Aerospace Forces have liberated from Islamic State militants the town of Tadif in the Aleppo province, near Al Bab, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement Saturday.
As a result of the offensive, the Syrian troops have approached the demarcation line with the Free Syrian Army, which has been agreed by Ankara and Damascus, according to the ministry as cited by Sputnik news agency.
The Syrian troops have also gained full control over the road connecting Al-Bab to Raqqa while eliminating 650 jihadists and destroying two tanks, four infantry fighting vehicles, 18 vehicles equipped with weapons, seven mortars and six car bombs, the ministry added.
