ANKARA (Reuters) - Syrian rebels backed by Turkish forces have taken some towns near northern Syria’s Manbij, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday, marking their latest advance against Islamic State militants south of Turkey’s border.

Erdogan made the comment in a speech broadcast live on television. The Turkey-backed Free Syrian Army rebels, have been advancing toward Manbij after clearing Islamic State from al-Bab elsewhere in northern Syria last month.