Islamic State advances in Syria\\\'s Aleppo province

BEIRUT, Aug 13 (AFP): Jihadists from the Islamic State (IS) group have taken control of a string of villages in the northern Syrian province of Aleppo, a monitoring group said on Wednesday.

The clashes left at least 39 fighters dead, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which said the extremist group had seized six villages north of the city of Aleppo, not far from the border with Turkey.

Fighting was ongoing for control of another village in the area, Arshaf, the group said.

The Observatory said the group took the areas "after fierce clashes with rebels and Islamist battalions that remained in the area after Al-Nusra Front and other Islamist battalions withdrew at the end of July".

Al-Nusra Front, which is Al-Qaeda's Syrian branch, joined moderate and Islamist rebel groups in a coalition that began fighting the Islamic State in January.

But in recent weeks, Al-Nusra has also fought other rebel groups, further complicating the status of the armed opposition in Syria.

The Observatory said its withdrawal and a major IS assault launched overnight allowed the jihadist group to capture the villages after months of fighting.

It said 31 rebel fighters and eight Islamic State fighters were killed in the clashes. The Observatory said the IS capture of the villages was a strategic prize, because it would open the way for the group to attack the towns of Marea and Azaz.

Meanwhile, At least 39 fighters were killed on Wednesday in fierce clashes between Syrian rebels and jihadists from the Islamic State in the northern Syrian province of Aleppo, an NGO said.

"At least 31 rebel fighters and eight Islamic State fighters were killed in clashes that ended with the jihadist group taking control of six villages in Aleppo province," the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.