Islamic State militants 'at the gates' of Syria's Hasakah
Militants are reportedly within 500 metres of Hasakah, north east Syria, amid heavy regime bombing that has forced more than 3,000 people over the border into Turkey.
2 min read
Heavy fighting in northern city forced thousands of Syrians across the border into Turkey [Andolu]
Islamic State group (IS, formerly known as ISIS) militants are closing in on Hasakah, in north eastern Syria, where regime and Kurdish forces are making a desperate bid to defend the city.
The militants are reported to be within 500 metres of the city, with regime helicoptors pounding IS positions and opposition-held territorites with barrel bombs.
The IS militants detonated at least five car bombs as it advanced towards the city.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said IS was "at the gates of Hasakah" after a day of fierce clashes left 27 regime soldiers and 26 IS militants dead.
They added that IS sent at least 400 fighters from the eastern province of Deir Ezzor to take part in the Hasakah assault, which began on May 30.
If Hasakah falls, this would be the second provincial capital under IS control.
At least 37 people were killed in regime barrel bomb attacks in the region on Wednesday, the monitoring group said.
The group said that deaths came in three incidents, in Aleppo province in the north and Idlib province in the northwest.
The Observatory, which relies on a network of sources on the ground, said the tolls in the incidents were expected to rise because of the number of people seriously wounded.
Fighting has forced more than 3,300 refugees to cross over the border in Turkey, according to a Turkish government official.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) added that there is "strong evidence" the regime has dropped barrel bombs containing toxic chemicals on northern Syria.
On Wednesday, the New York-based group said it had led an investigation into three attacks in Idlib province, which killed two people and affected 127 others, and that deadly chlorine was probably used in some, if not all of them.
"The Syrian government has used barrel bombs with toxic chemicals for more than a year while the (UN) Security Council has failed to act," said Philippe Bolopion, HRW's UN and crisis advocacy director.
More than 220,000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict began in March 2011 with anti-government demonstrations that were met with a regime crackdown.
The militants are reported to be within 500 metres of the city, with regime helicoptors pounding IS positions and opposition-held territorites with barrel bombs.
The IS militants detonated at least five car bombs as it advanced towards the city.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said IS was "at the gates of Hasakah" after a day of fierce clashes left 27 regime soldiers and 26 IS militants dead.
They added that IS sent at least 400 fighters from the eastern province of Deir Ezzor to take part in the Hasakah assault, which began on May 30.
If Hasakah falls, this would be the second provincial capital under IS control.
At least 37 people were killed in regime barrel bomb attacks in the region on Wednesday, the monitoring group said.
The group said that deaths came in three incidents, in Aleppo province in the north and Idlib province in the northwest.
The Observatory, which relies on a network of sources on the ground, said the tolls in the incidents were expected to rise because of the number of people seriously wounded.
Fighting has forced more than 3,300 refugees to cross over the border in Turkey, according to a Turkish government official.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) added that there is "strong evidence" the regime has dropped barrel bombs containing toxic chemicals on northern Syria.
On Wednesday, the New York-based group said it had led an investigation into three attacks in Idlib province, which killed two people and affected 127 others, and that deadly chlorine was probably used in some, if not all of them.
"The Syrian government has used barrel bombs with toxic chemicals for more than a year while the (UN) Security Council has failed to act," said Philippe Bolopion, HRW's UN and crisis advocacy director.
More than 220,000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict began in March 2011 with anti-government demonstrations that were met with a regime crackdown.
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