Syrian government forces and Kurdish forces have fought separate battles with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group in a strategic area near the Iraqi and Turkish borders, according to a monitoring group.
Forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad and fighters from the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) launched uncoordinated offensives against ISIL in the northeastern province of al-Hasakah, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Monday.
Rami Abdel Rahman, the Syrian Observatory head, told AFP news agency that after three days of clashes, regime forces bolstered by fighters from Arab tribes had secured control over 23 villages in the centre of the province from ISIL.
Forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad and fighters from the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) launched uncoordinated offensives against ISIL in the northeastern province of al-Hasakah, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Monday.
Rami Abdel Rahman, the Syrian Observatory head, told AFP news agency that after three days of clashes, regime forces bolstered by fighters from Arab tribes had secured control over 23 villages in the centre of the province from ISIL.
Syria's official news agency SANA put the number at 31.