</s>Image copyright AFP Image caption Turkish-backed rebels now have control of al-Bab, the country's military says

A car bomb has killed at least 51 people in a rebel-held village near the Syrian town of al-Bab, sources in the region and monitors say.

The blast - claimed by Islamic State (IS) militants - destroyed a rebel post in Sousian, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a monitoring group.

The village is 8km (five miles) north-west of al-Bab, from which Turkish-backed rebels drove out IS on Thursday.

Turkey says the rebels now have "control of all neighbourhoods" there.

"Activities continue to clear areas under control of obstacles, mines and hand-made explosives," the country's military said.

IS claimed the car bomb attack, in a statement carried by its Amaq news outlet.

Many civilians were gathering to seek permission to return to al-Bab when the bomb exploded, the opposition-run Qasioun news agency said.

Situated just north-east of Aleppo, al-Bab has about 100,000 inhabitants in the centre and about 50,000 more living in the suburbs.

It fell to Syrian rebels in spring 2012 and was in IS hands by early 2014, when it became home to many foreign jihadists and their families.

Gen Hulusi Akar, Turkey's chief of staff, told troops on Friday that with the seizure of al-Bab, Turkey's incursion into northern Syria had achieved its objective.

"In the aftermath, support will be provided to normalise life and for the local people to quickly return to their homes," he said.

The rebels say they are now working to clear the heavily mined town.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said last year that the capture of al-Bab, the jihadist group's last major stronghold in Aleppo province, would be the prelude to taking Raqqa, seen by IS as its capital in Syria.</s>BEIRUT: A suicide bomber attacked Turkish-backed rebels just outside the Syrian town of Al-Bab on Friday (Feb 24), killing 42 people in a major blow just hours after they hailed its capture from the Islamic State group.

The bomber blew up a vehicle packed with explosives outside a rebel command centre in the village of Susian, eight kilometres (five miles) northeast of Al-Bab, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

The blast devastated the twin command posts and also seriously wounded a large number of fighters, the Britain-based monitoring group said.

Most of the dead were fighters.

There was no immediate claim for the attack but it bore all the hallmarks of IS, which had put up fierce resistance in Al-Bab for weeks.

The strategic town, just 25 kilometres (15 miles) south of the Turkish border, was the jihadists' last stronghold in the northern Syrian province of Aleppo.

Turkey sent troops into Syria last August in an operation it said targeted not only IS but also US-backed Kurdish fighters whom it regards as terrorists.

With its support, the rebels launched an offensive to take Al-Bab last year.

It has proved the bloodiest battle of Ankara's campaign accounting for most of the 69 Turkish losses so far.

Turkish Defence Minister Fikri Isik said on Thursday that its rebel allies now had "near complete control" of the town.

The town was also seen as a prize by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces, who had advanced to just 1.5 kilometres (one mile) from its outskirts in recent weeks.

On Thursday afternoon, an AFP correspondent heard intermittent gunfire as rebel units continued to clear the heavily damaged town.

The battle against IS around Al-Bab is just one front line in the fighting in Aleppo province.

West of the second city, which government forces took full control of in December, fighting flared with rebels in its western suburbs even as peace talks got under way in Geneva.

Exchanges of rocket and artillery fire first broke out on Wednesday, centred on the rebel-held district of Rashideen, the Observatory said.

The government responded with intensive air strikes on Thursday that killed at least 32 rebel fighters.

"The regime wants to reinforce its positions around Aleppo and is using the rocket fire by the rebels as a pretext to bombard their positions and attempt to drive them out of the suburbs," Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP.

A fragile ceasefire between government forces and non-jihadist rebels has been in force since late December, brokered by regime ally Russia and rebel backer Turkey.

It has led to a sharp reduction in fighting in many areas.

But parts of the country which are held by IS or its jihadist rival, former Al-Qaeda affiliate Fateh al-Sham Front, are not covered by the truce.

The talks in Geneva between government and opposition representatives formally opened on Thursday.

They are the fourth round of UN-brokered negotiations, aimed at ending a conflict that has dragged on for nearly six years and claimed more than 310,000 lives.

UN envoy Staffan de Mistura said: "I'm not expecting miracles," but warned of dire consequences if the talks "fail again".</s>A car bomb killed as many as 60 people and wounded dozens more Friday in northwestern Syria, Turkish state media and activist groups said.

The attack killed between 53 and 60 people in Sousian village, according to activist groups Aleppo Media Center and the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The groups said ISIS militants were believed to be behind the attack.

Turkey’s state-run Anadolu news agency reported that 60 people were killed and at least 100 others wounded, adding that the car bomb targeted a security building for the Free Syrian Army, an association of rebel groups fighting ISIS.

Dozens of injured Syrians are being treated at a hospital across the border in the Turkish town of Kilis, Anadolu said.

Thirty-three of those killed in the blast have been identified, said Barry Abdullatif, founder of media activist group al-Bab City Coordination.

There were multiple reports Thursday that Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army rebels had pushed ISIS out of the area, specifically from the key town of al-Bab along the Turkey-Syria border. Sousian village is a few miles from al-Bab.

Al-Bab is ISIS’ last significant holdout north of the terror group’s de facto capital of Raqqa in Syria.

Al-Bab was bombed by US, Russian and Turkish aircraft this month, CNN reported.</s>The Latest on the developments in the Syrian conflict (all times local):

Syrian opposition activists say a second car bomb has exploded in a town just captured from Islamic State group militants by Turkish troops and Syrian fighters, leaving at least eight people dead.

The Aleppo Media Center and Thiqa News agency, media platforms operated by activists, reported the second explosion Friday in Sousian village, about eight kilometers (five miles) north of al-Bab.

An earlier explosion in the same village killed at least 60, most of them civilians lining up to return to the town after IS retreated.

Al-Bab was captured by the Turkish troops and Syrian fighters backed by Ankara on Thursday, after more than two months of intense fighting.

A Turkish military statement Friday says the Turkish troops and Syrian forces it backs are now in control of all neighborhoods of al-Bab but that efforts to clear it of mines and explosives are continuing. Earlier on Friday, two Turkish soldiers were killed in an explosion near the IS-held town of Tadif, south of al-Bab.

The U.N. envoy for Syria has kicked off his second day of meetings in Geneva aimed at reaching a political solution to end the country's devastating civil war.

Staffan de Mistura on Friday hosted a delegation from the government of President Bashar Assad and is hammering out a procedure for the talks that could go on for days. De Mistura is meeting with the sides separately and is to hold talks with an opposition delegation on Friday afternoon.

U.N. spokeswoman Alessandra Vellucci is cautioning that "this process is in its very early days" and not to expect fast results. She says de Mistura is "seeking to facilitate a process, and this requires some delicate handling."

On Thursday, the two sides met face-to-face for the first time in three years under U.N. mediation.

Turkey's state news agency Andadolu says the death toll from a car bomb near the town of al-Bab, just captured from Islamic State militants in northern Syria, has risen to 60. Most of the victims were civilians.

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, meanwhile, says a separate attack south al-Bab killed two Turkish soldiers.

Friday's attacks come a day after the town was taken by Turkish forces and Syrian opposition fighters from Islamic State militants. IS militants withdrew from the town, but they still control areas around it.

In the first attack, a suicide car bomb struck outside a security office in Sousian village, north of al-Bab, killing civilians lining up seeking permits to return home. Yildrim says at least six Turkey-backed fighters were killed in that bombing.

The second attack took place near Tadif, a town still controlled by IS south of al-Bab. The Turkish military said the soldiers were killed when an improvised explosive device went off but Yildrim called it a suicide attack that happened as the soldiers were on a road patrol. Three other Turkish soldiers were wounded.

The deaths raise the death toll of Turkish soldiers in northern Syria since August to 70.

Turkey's news agency says a car bomb north of a town just captured by Turkish forces and Syrian opposition fighters from Islamic State militants has killed at least 35 people.

Anadolu news agency says the explosion on Friday killed civilians and Syrian opposition fighters in Sousian village, north of the town of al-Bab.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says the bombing struck near a security post in the village. The Syrian opposition-run Qasioun news agency put the death toll at 45.

The report says the car bomb hit outside a security office where civilians had gathered seeking permission to return to al-Bab.

Al-Bab was captured on Thursday, after more than two months of fighting with IS militants who withdrew from the town but still control areas around it.</s>A car bombing north of a Syrian town just captured by Turkish forces and Syrian opposition fighters from the Islamic State group killed at least 60 people on Friday, mostly civilians who had gathered trying to go back home, Turkey's news agency and Syrian activists said.

Syrian soldiers walking among damaged buildings on a street filled with debris near the ancient Umayyad Mosque, in the Old City of Aleppo

According to Mohammed al-Tawil, a leading Syrian opposition fighter in the area, a suicide attacker blew his small pick-up truck outside a security office in Sousian village, about eight kilometres north of al-Bab.

The explosion went off as the opposition fighters were organising the return of civilians from al-Bab who had been displaced by the fighting for their town, he said.

Al-Bab, which had been controlled by IS since late 2013, was captured on Thursday local time, after more than two months of fighting led by Turkish troops supporting Syrian opposition fighters.

IS militants who withdrew from the town still control areas around it.

"A small civilian pick-up truck reached the gathering and went off at the security checkpoint," al-Tawil said over the telephone from Sousian.

Al-Tawil, a member of the opposition al-Bab military council, said about four fighters manning the checkpoint were killed in the attack.

Al-Tawil, who was at the security office at the time of the explosion, said the rest of the casualties were civilians from al-Bab.

The Syrian opposition-run Qasioun news agency put the death toll at 45 while the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 42 were killed.

Anadolu news agency said at least 41 of those wounded in the attack were taken to the Turkish border town of Kilis, where they are being treated in a state hospital.

Some of the wounded were in serious condition, the agency said.</s>A car bomb has killed at least 41 people in a rebel-held village near the Syrian town of al-Bab, sources in the region and monitors say.

The explosion destroyed a rebel security post in Sousian, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

The village is 8km (5 miles) north-west of al-Bab, from which Turkish-backed rebels pushed so-called Islamic State fighters on Thursday.

Turkey says the rebels have "near complete control" of the city.

The attack killed 35 civilians and six rebel fighters, Reuters reported, citing sources in the region. It said the target was a rebel checkpoint.

Civilians were gathering to seek permission to return to al-Bab when the bomb exploded, the opposition-run Qasioun news agency said.
• Who is fighting Syria's battle of al-Bab?

Situated just north-east of Aleppo, al-Bab has about 100,000 inhabitants in the centre and about 50,000 more living in the suburbs.

It fell to Syrian rebels in spring 2012 and was in IS hands by early 2014, when it became home to many foreign jihadists and their families.

The rebels say they are now working to clear the heavily mined town.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said last year that the capture of al-Bab, the jihadist group's last major stronghold in Aleppo province, would be the prelude to taking Raqqa, seen by IS as its capital in Syria.</s>BEIRUT (AP)— Turkey's state news agency Andadolu says the death toll from a car bomb near the town of al-Bab, just captured from Islamic State militants in northern Syria, has risen to 60. Most of the victims were civilians.

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim , meanwhile, says a separate attack south of al-Bab killed two Turkish soldiers.

Friday's attacks come a day after the town was taken by Turkish forces and Syrian opposition fighters from Islamic State militants. IS militants withdrew from the town, but they still control areas around it.

In the first attack, a suicide car bomb struck outside a security office in Sousian village, north of al-Bab, killing civilians lining up seeking permits to return home. Yildrim says at least six Turkey-backed fighters were killed in that bombing.

The second attack took place near Tadif, a town still controlled by IS south of al-Bab. The Turkish military said the soldiers were killed when an improvised explosive device went off but Yildrim called it a suicide attack that happened as the soldiers were on a road patrol. Three other Turkish soldiers were wounded.

The deaths raise the death toll of Turkish soldiers in northern Syria since August to 70.</s>BEIRUT – A car bombing north of a Syrian town just captured by Turkish forces and Syrian opposition fighters from the Islamic State group killed at least 35 people on Friday, mostly civilians who had gathered trying to go back home, Turkey’s news agency and Syrian activists said.

According to Mohammed al-Tawil, a leading Syrian opposition fighter in the area, a suicide attacker blew his small pick-up truck outside a security office in Sousian village, about 8 kilometres (5 miles) north of al-Bab.

The explosion went off as the opposition fighters were organizing the return of civilians from al-Bab who had been displaced by the fighting for their town, he said.

READ MORE: Syrian President welcomes US troops to fight ‘terrorists’ in Syria

Al-Bab, which had been controlled by IS since late 2013, was captured on Thursday, after more than two months of fighting led by Turkish troops supporting Syrian opposition fighters.

IS militants who withdrew from the town still control areas around it.

“A small civilian pick-up truck reached the gathering and went off at the security checkpoint,” al-Tawil said over the telephone from Sousian.

Al-Tawil, a member of the opposition al-Bab military council, said about four fighters manning the checkpoint were killed in the attack. Al-Tawil, who was at the security office at the time of the explosion, said the rest of the casualties were civilians from al-Bab.

READ MORE: Russian drone footage shows destruction of UNESCO sites in Syria

The Syrian opposition-run Qasioun news agency put the death toll at 45 while the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 42 were killed.

Anadolu news agency said at least 41 of those wounded in the attack were taken to the Turkish border town of Kilis, where they are being treated in a state hospital. Some of the wounded were in serious condition, the agency said.

The Sousian security office was in charge of issuing permits and providing an escort for civilians wishing to return to al-Bab. Al-Tawil said at least two groups of about 150 civilians had already left early on Friday for al-Bab, accompanied by a mine sweeping unit operated by the Syrian opposition fighters.

“These people have suffered a lot … it was very difficult, and they have been waiting for this moment” to return home, al-Tawil said.

The Observatory said at least seven opposition fighters were killed in the town from land mines left behind by IS – a trademark of retreating militants.

Al-Bab had a prewar population of about 60,000, many of whom were displaced in neighbouring areas, including during the most recent clashes.

Footage emerging from al-Bab showed a deserted town, badly damaged by the war. At least one of the streets appears completely destroyed, with buildings crumbling or levelled on both sides. Trenches and earth berms have made other streets impassable, and nearly every building shows some signs of artillery shelling or heavy machine-gun fire.

Associated Press writer Suzan Fraser contributed to this report from Ankara, Turkey.</s>At least 35 people have been killed in a car bomb attack north of a town just captured by Turkish forces and Syrian opposition fighters from Islamic State militants, Turkey's news agency said.

The Anadolu agency said the explosion on Friday killed civilians and Syrian opposition fighters in Sousian village, north of the town of al-Bab.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the blast happened near a security post in the village. The Syrian opposition-run Qasioun news agency put the death toll at 45.

The report said the car bomb went off outside a security office where civilians had gathered seeking permission to return to al-Bab.

Al-Bab was captured on Thursday, after more than two months of fighting with IS militants who withdrew from the town but still control areas around it.
A car bomb explodes in the Syrian village of Sousian, north of al-Bab, killing at least 60 people.