Damascus: US-backed Syrian rebels have taken control of a key airbase held by the Islamic State group near its stronghold Raqqa. According to BBC, spokesman for the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Talal Sello, on Sunday said they had seized Tabqa airport from militants.

It comes as the Kurdish-led fighters advance on Raqqa, IS's self-declared capital. Earlier the IS warned the nearby Tabqa dam could collapse, sparking panic. However, the dam appears intact. The US-led coalition fighting the jihadists denied targeting the facility with airstrikes, leaving it dangerously vulnerable to failure.