FSA fighters resumed a major offensive inside the ISIS-held town of Albab northeast of Aleppo on Thursday, a day after they broke through ISIS defenses in its remaining stronghold in Aleppo province.
A commander of a leading FSA group fighting ISIS said they were moving forward from territory near the western gates of the town they had stormed on Wednesday.
The FSA fighters supported by Turkish special forces, artillery and warplanes broke into Albab from the west on Wednesday after launching a three-pronged attack around 10 PM Tuesday night.
By the time the sun rose on Wednesday, FSA fighters had advanced within the western entrance to Albab and taken control of the National Hospital, Youth Housing area, Daleel roundabout, parts of Zamzam district, and the strategic Aqeel hill overlooking the town.
Northeast of Albab, FSA fighters also regained control of two key villages they had repeatedly been pushed out of in the past by a succession of suicide attacks by militants of the extremist group. Dozens of ISIS militants were reportedly killed and injured in the ongoing clashes for the strategic town.
The FSA commander added that clashes are now being fought near Althura bakery inside Zamzam district as the FSA fighters are trying to push deeper inside the town.
Albab, roughly 40 km northeast of Aleppo city and 30 km south of the Turkish border, is the last major ISIS stronghold in Aleppo province.
In August 24, 2016, FSA groups launched Operation Euphrates Shield to clear ISIS and other terrorist groups from territory south of the Turkish border with Syria with support from Turkish military forces and in coordination with the international anti-ISIS coalition. (Source: Syrian Coalition’s Media Office + Agencies)
