Syrian Kurds nearing IS border stronghold, thousands flee

Hundreds of Syrian refugees poured into a Turkish-Syrian border crossing Saturday, fleeing intense fighting as Syrian Kurds closed in on an Islamic State-held town — the only passageway linking Turkey with the extremist group’s stronghold of Raqqa. Some 13,000 refugees have already crossed into Turkey in the last 10 days, according to the Turkish Foreign Ministry. Hundreds more could be seen Saturday on the Syrian side of the Akcakale border crossing, waiting to cross into Turkey. A statement by the main Syrian Kurdish fighting force, known as the YPG, said its fighters have encircled the Islamic State-held town of Suluk, a few kilometers southwest of the strategically important town of Tal Abyad. It said IS militants have “lost control” over Suluk and Kurdish forces were advancing toward Tal Abyad.

The move towards Tal Abyad from the east began today after the completion of the Suluk blockade.

Redur Xelil, the YPG spokesman

The loss of Tal Abyad would be a major blow to the IS group. The border town is a major avenue for commerce for the extremist group — through which it smuggles in foreign fighters and sells black-market oil. The city is also a key link between Turkey and the northern Syrian city of Raqqa, the de-facto capital of the Islamic State group’s self-declared caliphate. Capturing Tal Abyad would open a direct line between Kurdish-controlled territories along the border with Turkey, linking up Kurdish-controlled areas in Hasaka province to the west with Kobani to the east. Such a move is likely to anger Turkey, which sees the YPG as part of the Kurdish PKK movement that has waged an anti-government insurgency in southeastern Turkey.

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