Syrian Kurdish forces capture ISIS air base

BEIRUT — U.S.-backed Syrian Kurdish forces captured a strategically important air base from Islamic State militants in north Syria on Sunday in the first major victory for the group since the U.S. airlifted the forces behind enemy lines four days ago.

The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces announced they had captured the Tabqa air base 28 miles west of Raqqa, the Islamic State group’s de facto capital in Syria.

Meanwhile there were conflicting reports over whether civilians had begun evacuating Raqqa due to concerns over the stability of the nearby Tabqa Dam.

The militants said U.S.led coalition airstrikes had locked up the dam’s gates, causing the water level behind it to rise.