Turkey and its rebel allies opened a new line of attack in northern Syria on Saturday as Turkish tanks rolled across the border and Syrian fighters swept in from the west to take villages held by Islamic State.
The incursion was launched by Turkey from Kilis province — an area frequently targeted by Islamic State rockets — and coincided with a separate push by the Turkish-backed Syrian rebels, who seized several villages further to the east.
By supporting the rebels, mainly Arabs and Turkmen fighting under the loose banner of the Free Syrian Army, Turkey is hoping to drive out Islamic State militants and check the advance of U.S.-backed Syrian Kurdish fighters.