ICC Note: According to reports, Syrian rebels have reclaimed the northern city of al-Rai from ISIS militants. Al-Rai has great strategic significance due to its position along the Syria-Turkey border as well as its proximity to the city of Aleppo. This reclaimed town will likely be used as a “launching pad” in future attacks against ISIS in surrounding areas.

04/08/2016 Syria (BBC) – Syrian rebels have seized control of the strategically important northern town of al-Rai from so-called Islamic State (IS).

The fall of the town is a boost for the rebels as they battle to capture the divided city of Aleppo.

Al-Rai’s capture after several days of heavy fighting secures an important supply line from Turkey for the rebels.

Separately, at least 200 people are missing after an IS attack on a factory near Damascus, the government says.

Workers were reportedly taken from a dormitory where they were staying on the outskirts of the town of Dumeir, about 40km (25 miles) east of the capital.

Activists from the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights say about 140 workers managed to escape.

Initially there was confusion over who attacked the factory, with some sources suggesting the abductions were carried out by a rebel group called Jaysh Tahrir al-Sham.

A factory administrator said no-one had been able to contact the workers since the assault on Monday.

The area around Dumeir has seen fierce fighting between government forces and IS militants in recent days.

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