Coalition drops ammunition to rebels fighting IS in Syria
AFP
BEIRUT, LEBANON- Coalition aircraft dropped ammunition to Syrian rebels fighting the Islamic State group in northern Aleppo as they try to prevent the jihadists from entering the town of Marea, a monitoring group said on Friday.
"The coalition airplanes dropped, in the last 24 hours, ammunitions, light weapons and anti-tank weapons to rebels in Marea," Syrian Observatory for Human Rights chief Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP.
He said it was the first time the coalition had made such a drop to rebel fighters other than the Kurds, although a US defence official denied this.
The official confirmed the drops, but said they did not include light weapons or anti-tank weapons.
Islamic State fighters swept through rebel-held territory in a shock offensive in Aleppo province late last month, cutting off the main road between Marea and Azaz -- two main rebels bastions in the province.
The IS advance forced thousands to flee towards the northern frontier with Turkey.
The United Nations said it was "deeply concerned over the fate of an estimated 8,000 Syrians trapped by fighting around the towns of Marea and Sheikh Issa".
An unknown number of people are unable to flee due to fighting and the closure of the main road between Marea and Azaz, it added.
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The official confirmed the drops, but said they did not include light weapons or anti-tank weapons.
Islamic State fighters swept through rebel-held territory in a shock offensive in Aleppo province late last month, cutting off the main road between Marea and Azaz -- two main rebels bastions in the province.
The IS advance forced thousands to flee towards the northern frontier with Turkey.
The United Nations said it was "deeply concerned over the fate of an estimated 8,000 Syrians trapped by fighting around the towns of Marea and Sheikh Issa".
An unknown number of people are unable to flee due to fighting and the closure of the main road between Marea and Azaz, it added.
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