Rebel fighters celebrate with their weapons as they pose in Jisr al-Shughour town, after they took control of the area April 25, 2015. Reuters/Ammar Abdullah
Reuters: Islamist fighters seize Syria's Jisr al-Shughour, army says redeploys
(Reuters) - Islamist insurgents including al-Qaeda's wing in Syria, Nusra Front, captured the northwestern Syrian town of Jisr al-Shughour on Saturday, for the first time in the four-year-old conflict.
Syrian state media said the army had redeployed to the town's surroundings "to avoid civilian casualties". They said the army was battling "a large number of terrorists coming from the Turkish border."
The capture of the strategic town is the latest in a series of setbacks for government forces in the south and the north.
More News On The Syrian Military's Defeat At Jisr al-Shughour
Syria conflict: Islamists capture Jisr al-Shughur -- BBC
Islamist rebels capture major Syrian stronghold in Idlib province -- Deutsche Welle
Withdrawing Syria troops 'executed' prisoners: activists -- Daily Star/AFP
Islamist militants advance on key regime outpost in Idlib -- Al Bawaba
Insurgents Take Strategic Syrian Town -- VOA
Islamist militants advance on key regime outpost in Idlib -- Al Bawaba
Islamist insurgents take over strategic Syrian town -- Haaretz
Syrian government reportedly loses stronghold in Idlib -- Al Jazeera