Syrian Kurds Capture Town from Islamic Fighters

BEIRUT (AP) – Syrian activists say Kurdish fighters have captured a northeastern town near the Iraqi border after days of combat with members of an al-Qaida breakaway group.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and a Syria-based activist who identified himself as Salar al-Kurdi say members of the so-called People’s Protection Units captured Tel Brak on Saturday.

It was the latest gain by Kurds in almost a year of fighting with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.

The units are dominated by members of the Kurdish Democratic Union Party, or PYD, Syria’s most powerful Kurdish group.

Since mid-2013, Kurdish fighters have been on the offensive capturing wide areas in northeastern Syria from the Islamic State.

The Tel Brak battle left some 19 people dead, the Observatory said.