US-backed Syrian fighters seize key Tabqa airbase from IS near Raqqa
BBC – A US-backed force of Syrian Kurdish and Arab fighters say they have taken full control of a key airbase held by the Islamic State group (IS) near Raqqa.
Its capture is seen as a significant step in the fight to drive the jihadists out of the city, which has become their de facto capital.
Talal Sello, a spokesman for the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), said they had seized Tabqa airport from militants.
The Kurdish-led fighters are continuing to advance towards the city itself.
However, civilian rights groups have expressed safety concerns for citizens still living in the area.
The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said coalition air strikes have killed at least 89 civilians over the past week.
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