fighters, a monitor said Saturday.
Twenty
Islamist and other rebel fighters were killed in the clashes in Aleppo
province throughout Friday, along with 27 IS jihadists, the
Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
The fighting centred on the town of Marea, a key rebel bastion that IS has been trying to capture for months.
The
Observatory said fighting was ongoing around the town, which rebel
forces still control, as well in villages in the surrounding area.
Marea
is one of the most significant rebel-held towns in northern Aleppo and
lies on a key supply route running to the Turkish border.
IS has targeted the town for months, seeking to expand westwards from territory it already holds in Aleppo province.
Last
week, IS advanced in the area, seizing five villages from rebel forces
around Marea after allegations it had used a chemical agent, possibly
mustard gas, in its attacks.
The
IS advances came despite an agreement between Turkey and the United
States to work on the establishment of an IS-free zone in northern
Aleppo.
In recent days, the
US-led air campaign fighting IS in Syria has carried out strikes against
the group near Marea, according to the Pentagon.
More
than 240,000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict began
in March 2011 with peaceful anti-government protests.
It
has evolved into a complex multi-front war, with regime and rebel
forces as well as Kurds and jihadists involved in the fighting.
Source: AFP
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