U.S.-backed Syrian rebels declare new offensive against Islamic State

[October 31, 2015]  BEIRUT (Reuters) - A U.S.-backed Syrian rebel alliance on Saturday announced a fresh offensive against Islamic State in the northeast province of Hasaka, a day after the United States said it would send special forces to advise insurgents fighting the jihadists.

"Today... we announce the start of the liberation of the southern countryside of Hasaka province," a spokesman for the Democratic Forces of Syria said in a video statement posted on Youtube and also reported by the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors the war.

The Democratic Forces of Syria is an alliance formed earlier this month including Syrian Arab groups and a U.S.-backed Kurdish militia.

(Reporting by John Davison; Editing by Toby Chopra)

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