THE Syrian army liberated a swathe of territory from Islamic State (Isis) in southern Aleppo province yesterday, in the race for the extremists’ stronghold Raqqa.

Troops captured seven villages east of Khanasser, bringing the total in the previous 24 hours to 13.

And in the south, near Damascus, the army surrounded a pocket of al-Qaida-affiliated Nusra Front extremists in east Ghouta, isolating them from the main territory of the “moderate” Army of Islam.