Tens of thousands flee clashes between Syria army, IS

Tens of thousands of Syrian civilians have fled ferocious fighting between Russian-backed regime forces and Islamic State group jihadists over the past week in the country's ravaged north.Supported by Russian air power and artillery, Syrian government forces have waged a fierce offensive against IS, seizing around 90 villages since mid-January.The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the advance took government forces to around 14 kilometres (9 miles) from IS-held Khafsah, the main station p