TWO suicide car bomb explosions killed at least 62 people in northern Syria yesterday, amid a new race for the Isis stronghold of Raqqa.

The day after invading Turkish troops and their jihadist Free Syrian Army allies claimed to have taken the town of al-Bab, north-east of Aleppo, a car bomb went off in the nearby village of Sousian.

Insurgent commander Mohammed al-Tawil said four of his men and two Turkish troops had been killed in the attack, along with 54 civilians.

On Thursday, regional media reported that Turkey had reached a deal to allow Isis extremists to evacuate the town for Deir Hafer further south — which the Syrian army is slowly encircling.
The capture of Deir Hafer could serve as a springboard for a drive to the Euphrates river, cutting the invaders off from their target of Raqqa.

Army sources also said a new push towards Raqqa from the south-west had begun on Thursday east of Salamiyah.

Troops also advanced to within 10 miles of Palmyra, while Isis blew up more gas wells near the city as their scorched earth policy continued.

US Senator John McCain discussed Ankara’s invasion plan with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan this week before his clandestine visit to US forces operating with Kurdish YPG militia in northern Syria.

The US-led coalition stepped up air strikes on Isis yesterday, with local groups reporting attacks on Tabqa, south of the Euphrates.

Meanwhile, the YPG said it had liberated seven more villages north-east of Raqqa.

In eastern Syria, the Iraqi air force bombed Isis targets across the border, with permission from the government in Damascus.