ISIL siege of Aleppo airbase ‘broken by Syrian army’
Syrian forces have recaptured a northern military air base that had been besieged by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) since 2013, Syria state media and a monitoring group have reported.
“Army and the armed forces eliminated large numbers of ISIL terrorists and make contact with the forces defending Kweires Airport in Aleppo’s eastern countryside,” the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) said on Tuesday.
SANA also reported that government forces recaptured several villages in the eastern suburbs of Aleppo.
The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also said that government forces backed by armed forces loyal to the regime, Hezbollah fighters and Russian air strikes had managed to break the siege.
The government had launched a major offensive to reach the airbase on October 16.
ISIL seized new territories in Aleppo last month, pushing out rival rebels and leading the government to intensify its operations in the area.
Election result gives Turkey opportunity
Reuters, Ankara
The return of the ruling AK Party to single-party government in an election this month gives Turkey the opportunity to take stronger steps on regional issues, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday.
Speaking at a business meeting in Ankara, Erdogan said the result, which saw the AKP corner nearly 50 percent of the vote on Nov. 1, would bring an end to political uncertainty in the country.
In an apparent reference to Russia’s involvement in neighbouring Syria, he also offered a “friendly warning” that those adding fuel to the conflict would find themselves in the same fire.
Heavy fighting in Libya’s Benghazi, 16 killed
Reuters, Benghazi
At least 16 people have been killed in heavy fighting in the Libyan city of Benghazi between forces allied with the official government and Islamic State fighters, a military commander said on Wednesday.
Benghazi, caught up in fighting for more than a year, is just one front in Libya’s multi-sided war involving two competing governments-an official one in the east and a self-declared one controlling Tripoli-and the loose coalitions of armed factions backing them.
Battles involving air strikes erupted on Tuesday between Gen. Khalifa Haftar’s Libyan National Army (LNA) forces, and militants allied with Islamic State, military spokesman Milad Zwei told Reuters.
“Our special forces are making progress and have recaptured the air defence camp between Mash’hash and Sidi Faraj districts. The camp was captured last year by Islamic State,” he said.
Haftar declared war on Islamist fighters in Benghazi more than a year ago and he was later named commander in chief for the official government. But his campaign has failed to sweep out militants from the city.
Both sides have alternately held the upper hand in the fighting. Islamic State fighters are also increasingly in the battle, including foreign jihadists.
