The Islamic State jihadist group (ISIS) expelled Syrian regime troops Monday from the northern province of Raqqa in a counter-offensive that killed 40 regime forces in 24 hours, a monitoring group said.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the jihadists' attack was launched on Sunday following a regime offensive into the ISIS stronghold of Raqqa on June 3 that advanced around 20 kilometers (12 miles) to capture the town of Tabqa.