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Turkish-Backed Syrian Rebels Set to Attack IS-held Town

by VOA News

   Syrian opposition forces began an operation Saturday to try to wrest a
   Syrian town from control of the Islamic State militant group.

   Dabiq, in northern Syria, is of symbolic importance to IS, which says
   the town will be the site of an apocalyptic battle between Muslims and
   Christians. The jihadist group has occupied Dabiq since August 2014 and
   named its online magazine after the town.

   IS has been fortifying Dabiq in recent weeks, planting mines and other
   explosives and sending experienced fighters to defend the town.

   The U.K.-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported Saturday
   that Syrian opposition forces, backed by the Turkish military, were
   within two kilometers of Dabiq and were advancing on three fronts.

   Turkey became a more active player in Syria when its tanks entered
   northern Syria on August 24 to start an offensive code-named Operation
   Euphrates Shield.

   Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Saturday that Turkish
   forces would declare a 5,000-square-kilometer "terror-free safe zone"
   in northern Syria. He added that Turkey would like to see some of the 3
   million refugees that have fled to Turkey return home.

   "Let's create space for them," he said. "They can go to their own lands
   -- we can make them live there safely."