Thursday, 8 September 2016

Isis reportedly evacuates headquarters in last Aleppo stronghold as Turkish and Kurdish forces advance

Isis militants have decided to evacuate soldiers and equipment from the northern Syrian town of al-Bab in Aleppo province as Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA) rebels, Kurdish groups and the Syrian army draw closer to the town, Kurdish media reported.
“Dozens of Isis military vehicles have left al-Bab carrying weapons and militants. They headed to the nearby town of Khafsa east of al-Bab city,” local media activist Nasim Babi said. 
Major buildings and offices that now reportedly stand empty include the police department, weaponry storage centers, and the court house.
Al-Bab is the last Aleppo stronghold of the militant group after the Turkish allied rebels and Kurdish forces succeeded in retaking Manbij and Jarablus in recent weeks. The city has been under Isis control since October 2014. 
The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a mostly Kurdish alliance, has been planning to retake al-Bab since successfully liberating Manbij. The town is now almost encircled on three sides by the Syrian army, the SDF, and the Turkish-allied FSA.
Isis ended up withdrawing from nearby Jarablus in less that 24 hours. Since reports say Isis are already moving equipment and soldiers out of the city, Kurdish forces are hoping that the same will happen in al-Bab.

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