Syrian opposition backed by Turkish forces capture Dabiq from IS grip

The small northern town holds great value for IS because of a prophecy of an apocalyptic battle, and features heavily in its propaganda.

The advance on Dabiq is part of a wider offensive by Syrian rebel groups.

Ahmed Osman, the commander of the Sultan Murad rebel group, told Reuters news agency on Sunday morning that the group had also recaptured the neighbouring village of Soran.

The battle for Dabiq has been building for weeks – with one village after another being seized from IS by rebel fighters backed by Turkish airstrikes.

In the end, it seems to have fallen swiftly after the announcement of the final assault on Saturday.

Strategically, it’s not a major prize. But IS has embraced it as a symbol of its apocalyptic vision of all-out confrontation with its enemies.

The town is named in one Hadith – or saying by the Prophet Mohammed – as the site of the climactic battle between Muslims and non-Muslims before the end of the world. The group named its online magazine after it, but has downplayed its significance recently, saying this battle is not the epic that was prophesied.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 1,200 IS fighters had been brought in to defend Dabiq.

A commander of one rebel group, the Hamza Brigade, told the Associated Press that resistance from IS was “minimal”.
Saif Abu Bakr said IS withdrew towards the larger town of Al-Bab to the south.

He said about 2,000 rebel fighters were involved in the offensive.
They were supported by Turkish tanks and artillery, and airstrikes from international coalition warplanes.