The villages captured by IS on Thursday include two that the al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front - which is hostile to IS - recently handed over to another Syrian rebel group after announcing it was withdrawing from the intended Turkish buffer zone area. Earlier this month the Nusra Front (affiliated to Al Qaida in Syria) withdrew from parts of Northern Syria that are said to have been designated as a possible buffer zone along the Turkish/Syrian border. The US has also recently announced plans for an air campaign against ISIS targets inside Syria.
Earlier this month the Nusra Front (affiliated to Al Qaida in Syria) withdrew from parts of Northern Syria that are said to have been designated as a possible buffer zone along the Turkish/Syrian border. The US has also recently announced plans for an air campaign against ISIS targets inside Syria.