Islamic State conflict: Syrian Kurds 'seize Tal Abyad'

Reinforcements are being sent by the Kurdish Popular Protection Units (YPG) to help secure the main road south to Islamic State's headquarters at Raqqa.

The fighting has prompted thousands of civilians to flee to nearby Turkey.

The YPG advance has been supported by Syrian rebel groups and air strikes by the US-led coalition against IS.

For the Kurds, capturing Tal Abyad allows them to link up the other pockets they control along the Turkish border, from Iraq in the east to Kobane in the west.

"The whole city is under our control and there is no more fighting," Huseyin Kocher, a Kurdish YPG commander in Tal Abyad told the BBC.

"Our people should know that we are going to clean all the remnants of IS in northern Syria."

'No escape'

YPG units advancing from the east and west reached the outskirts of Tal Abyad on Sunday, after days of fierce clashes during which they seized a string of villages.

On Monday afternoon, the units met south of Tal Abyad after taking the road to Raqqa, which is 80km (50 miles) away, a YPG commander said.

A spokesman for the Syrian rebel group Burkan al-Furat, which is fighting alongside the YPG, said there had been "intense clashes" in eastern and southern Tal Abyad.

The Kurdish assault and US-led air strikes have prompted more than 16,000 civilians to flee their homes and cross the border with Turkey.

The refugees were stranded at the border fence over the weekend after Turkey closed the Akcakale crossing, saying it would only allow them to enter in the event of a humanitarian tragedy.

But, on Sunday afternoon, dozens managed to cross through holes cut in the fence before being rounded up on the Turkish side of the border by Turkish soldiers.

Later, refugees were seen passing through Akcakale after local officials said they had been given permission to reopen the crossing by the government in Ankara.

Up to 3,000 refugees arrived at the crossing on Monday, Turkish state television reported.

(BBC)