Militant Islamic State (IS) group fighters on Monday retook control of a northern town along Syria’s border with Turkey, just days after losing it to rebel forces and allied militants, opposition activists said.
The recapture of Al Rai shows IS is still capable of launching counterattacks even as the militants come under pressure on different fronts in areas IS controls in Iraq and Syria.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and the Aleppo Today TV station said the IS militants captured Al Rai early on Monday morning after intense fighting for the frontier town.
Al Rai is strategically located on the border with Turkey, serving as IS’ access point to supply lines. It also sits along the road to the IS stronghold in Aleppo province.
The Observatory’s chief Rami Abdurrahman said IS fighters also captured six villages near Al Rai on Monday. IS lost the town last Thursday after an offensive by rebels and militant groups allied with them, including Al Qaeda’s branch in Syria known as the Nusra Front.
IS has lost wide areas in Iraq and Syria recently, including the historic central town of Palmyra that was captured by Syrian government forces and their allies recently.
The militants have also suffered leadership setbacks as US drone strikes in Syria have killed several top IS and Nusra Front commanders and key figures in recent weeks.
