Smoke rises over the northern Syrian town of Tel Abyad as it is pictured from the Turkish border town of Akcakale, in Sanliurfa province, Turkey February 27, 2016. REUTERS/Kadir Celikcan

BEIRUT (Reuters) - The Syrian Kurdish YPG militia said on Wednesday 43 of its fighters were killed when Islamic State militants attacked the town of Tel Abyad on the Turkish border at the weekend.

YPG official Redur Xelil said the YPG has 140 bodies of IS fighters killed in the battle which began on Saturday and ended on Monday with the YPG keeping control of the town.

Twenty-three civilians were also killed, he said.

The YPG captured Tel Abyad from IS last year in an offensive backed by U.S.-led air strikes.