by WorldTribune Staff, July 29, 2016

Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL) executed at least 24 civilians after regaining control of several villages in northern Syria.

ISIL launched a “fierce assault” on July 28 in taking back the villages from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a U.S.-backed Kurdish-Arab alliance, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on July 29.

The Observatory said ISIL executed 24 civilians “in the last 24 hours” after taking the village of Buyir from the SDF.

Buyir is located some 10 kilometers (6 miles) northwest of Manbij, a key waypoint between the Turkish border and the ISIL de facto capital of Raqqa.

The SDF, backed by U.S.-led coalition airstrikes, launched an offensive to retake Manbij from ISIL on May 31 but has faced fierce opposition from the jihadists who have fought back with suicide bombers and car bombs.

  Buyir, executes 24 civilians, ISIL recaptures villages from U.S.-backed forces, Manbij, Syrian Democratic Forces, WorldTribune.com