Islamic State regains areas lost to Syrian government
The Islamic State group has retaken large areas in the northern Syrian province of Raqqa that the extremists recently lost to government troops, opposition activists and the group's news agency reported Tuesday.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said government forces have lost all the territory they gained in Raqqa province since launching their offensive on June 2.
Syrian troops have been on the offensive for nearly three weeks and approached to within 7 kilometers (4 miles) of the Tabqa air base near Raqqa city, the de facto capital of the IS group's self-declared caliphate. The Observatory said Syrian troops have been pushed back now to about 40 kilometers (25 miles) from Tabqa.
