s , ▁attempting ▁to ▁se ize ▁another ▁border ▁crossing ▁with ▁Turkey , ▁and ▁due ▁to ▁fear s ▁that ▁the ▁Kur ds ▁would ▁use ▁Ras ▁al - A yn ▁as ▁a ▁base ▁to ▁se ize ▁control ▁of ▁Tell ▁A by ad , ▁and ▁link ▁the ▁Kob an î ▁and ▁J az ira ▁Cant ons . ▁I SI L ▁also ▁wanted ▁control ▁of ▁Ras ▁al - A yn ▁and ▁Tell ▁T amer ▁to ▁control ▁additional ▁key ▁routes ▁that ▁would ▁link ▁the ▁I SI L - h eld ▁Ira qi ▁city ▁of ▁Mos ul ▁with ▁other ▁I SI L - control led ▁territory ▁in ▁n ort he astern ▁Sy ria . ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 2 ▁March , ▁the ▁Kur ds ▁managed ▁to ▁rep el ▁the ▁I SI L ▁advance ▁on ▁Ras ▁al - A yn ▁resulting ▁in ▁do z ens ▁of ▁cas ual ties ▁on ▁both ▁sides . ▁However , ▁I SI L ▁advanced ▁towards ▁Tell ▁T amer ▁and ▁captured ▁the ▁village ▁of ▁Tal ▁Nas ri , ▁bringing ▁the ▁milit ants ▁to ▁within ▁ 5 0 0 ▁meters ▁of ▁the ▁town . ▁The ▁fighting ▁near ▁Tell ▁T amer ▁left ▁ 2 2 ▁Kur d ish ▁and ▁ 1 8 ▁j ih ad ist ▁f igh ters ▁dead . ▁Two ▁days ▁later , ▁the ▁Kur ds ▁re capt ured ▁the ▁village ▁of ▁Tal ▁Mag has , ▁near ▁Tell ▁T amer ; ▁however , ▁according ▁to ▁another ▁report , ▁I SI L ▁managed ▁to ▁capture ▁several ▁more ▁villages ▁and ▁crossed ▁the ▁K hab ur ▁River , ▁in