Kurdish fighters in northern Syria say they have captured a key town from Islamic State, just 50km (30 miles) from the group's headquarters at Raqqa, BBC News reports.

A spokesman for the Popular Protection Units (YPG) said Ain Issa and its surrounding villages were now under the militia's "total control".

It follows the capture on Monday night of a military base outside the town.

The YPG captured the town of Tal Abyad on the Turkish border last week, cutting a major supply line for IS.

The jihadist group has suffered a string of defeats to Kurdish forces since being forced to withdraw from the town of Kobane in January after a four-month battle.