Syria war: Turkey breakthrough in battle with IS

Turkish-backed forces battling the so-called Islamic State 
(IS) in the north Syrian town of al-Bab have taken "near complete control", Turkey says.

Free Syrian Army (FSA) fighters have reached the town 
centre and are working to find and clear mines, Defence Minister Fikri Isik told Turkish media.

Fighting has been reported elsewhere in the town, under 
siege since November.

Turkish troops, Kurdish fighters, the Syrian army and
 Russian planes have also been involved in the operation.

If al-Bab does now fall, it will represent another setback for
 IS, which has gradually been pushed back from the Turkish border since last August.

Turkey is also seeking to limit gains to the east by Kurdish
forces.

"It's been a long time since we came to al-Bab but today 
we can say that near complete control has been taken of 
al-Bab and the city centre has been entered," Mr Isik was quoted as saying by Anadolu news agency.

"When the search and combing operations are over, we 
will be able to say that al-Bab has been completely cleared 
of Daesh [IS] elements. This does not need too much more time," he said.

An FSA fighter in al-Bab told Reuters news agency by telephone that the city centre had been reached on Wednesday but a suicide attack had forced the FSA fighters back.

Following a new push on Thursday, 85-90% of the town was
under FSA control, he said.

"The whole of the city is mined," he said. "I can say that
 every metre is mined."

Situated just north-east of Aleppo, al-Bab has about 
100,000 inhabitants in the centre and about 50,000 more
 living in the suburbs.

It fell to Syrian rebels in spring 2012 and was in IS hands 
by early 2014, when it became home to many foreign 
jihadists and their families.

Al-Bab is the jihadist group's last last major stronghold in Aleppo provinces.