Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) fighters have seized a
Syrian town back from Kurdish-led forces near Raqqa city, recovering
ground near the armed group's de facto capital two days after it was
pummelled in heavy US-led air strikes, a monitor said.
The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Monday that
ISIL forces had taken Ayn Issa and surrounding areas from Kurdish
People's Protection Units (YPG), which only seized the town from the armed group's control two weeks ago.
A spokesman for the YPG could not immediately be reached for comment,
but had earlier reported an attack by large numbers of ISIL fighters on
YPG positions in the area about 50km north of Raqqa city.
US officials said the air strikes in Raqqa city over the weekend were some of the most intense to date against ISIL in Syria.
Elsewhere in Syria, deadly clashes took place on Monday between YPG
forces and ISIL fighters for control of Syria's northeastern Hasakah
province, the Observatory reported.
ISIL claimed it killed at least 50 Kurdish fighters during the
clashes on Monday, after they reportedly captured several checkpoints in
Hasakah city's suburbs, sources told Al Jazeera.
Two car bombs exploded near government checkpoints in southern Hasakah, killing at least 11 government forces.
Syrian government warplanes have bombed southern Hasakah repeatedly
over the past few days, targeting ISIL strongholds near al-Ahdath prison
and an electricity tower.
ISIL launched its offensive on the northeastern province, which borders Turkey, on June 25.
ISIL moved closer to Hasakah city last month, but the city remains under opposition and YPG control.
The UN said at least 120,000 have been displaced due to the fighting within Hasakah city and its surrounding villages.
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