Khalil Ashawi/Reuters
Syrian opposition forces have taken back a town of major symbolic importance from Islamic State fighters with the help of the Turkish military. A commander of the Syrian opposition Hamza Brigade was cited by the AP as saying ISIS fighters had put up only “minimal” resistance before withdrawing from the northern town of Dabiq. According to him, about 2,000 members of the Syrian opposition took the northern town using tank and artillery support provided by the Turkish military. Dabiq, with a pre-war population of 3,000, is now heavily mined. The Islamic State took control of the town in August 2014 and pushed propaganda that it would be the scene of a major battle that would usher in Doomsday. The group even named its English-language magazine after the town, and they claim to have buried an American hostage there. The terrorist group reportedly sent 1,000 of its fighters to the area last week to defend it but then withdrew as opposition forces arrived. Syrian opposition forces backed by Turkish ground and air forces have made significant gains as part of the operation to take back Dabiq, having recaptured Akhtarin earlier this month.