叙利亚基地组织攻占一重镇伊德利卜

A Syrian al-Qaida group and its allies have seized the Syrian city of Idlib for the first time in the country's four-year conflict.

The al-Nusra Front led other Islamic groups in Saturday's takeover following four days of fighting. The al-Nusra Front announced the capture of the northwestern Syrian city through social media.

Syria's official news agency did not report Idlib's fall, saying the army is fighting "fierce battles" to gain control of the city.

Idlib is the second provincial capital and major urban center lost by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces in the four-year-old conflict.

The northeastern city of Raqqa fell to rebels, including the al-Nusra Front, in 2013.