Turkish-backed rebels step up attacks on Islamic State in north Syria

ALEPPO, Syria — The Turkish-backed Syrian opposition has waged a security campaign against Islamic State (IS) cells in Azaz in the northern Aleppo countryside since Jan. 20, leading to the arrest of dozens of IS members and collaborators. The hunt for other members is expected to continue through the confessions of their fellows.

The Azaz media office said in a statement posted on its Facebook page on Jan. 19, “The military police in the city of Azaz launched a large-scale security operation during which a number of IS cells operating in the area were arrested, following clashes between the two sides. The operation comes in response to blasts and booby-trapped explosions carried out by these cells, which killed a military police commander and a civilian, and injured a Free Syrian Army (FSA) fighter in two separate operations.”