Syrian opposition forces, Turkish troops push into al-Bab

BEIRUT – Syrian opposition forces say they have advanced inside the Islamic State-held town of al-Bab, in northern Syria.

The Turkish-backed Ahrar al-Sham militia announced Saturday on Twitter that opposition forces had taken the city's silos and sports complex in its southwestern districts. The coalition's operations room released a video on social media showing its fighters at the gates of the Hikma hospital. Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group also reported the hospital's capture.

Turkish troops and aircraft are also engaged in the "Euphrates Shield" assault on al-Bab.

The Turkish-backed forces are racing to seize al-Bab before rival Syrian government forces arrive. The Observatory says government forces are about 1.5 kilometers (1 mile) away.

Al-Bab is 40 kilometers (25 miles) south of the Turkish border.