After days of fighting, al-Nusra Front militants overtook the last remaining stronghold of U.S.-backed opposition forces in Syria’s northern Idlib province on Saturday, in a major setback to the U.S. strategy to build a proxy army against Islamic State militants. Forces led by al Qaeda affiliate al-Nusra Front have launched a campaign mainly against the opposition Syria Revolutionaries’ Front, capturing several villages in Idlib province and the group’s stronghold of Deir Sonbol, as well as bases held by the opposition Hazm Movement. Fighters from the groups, which have received western support, training, and U.S. equipment have surrendered, and many reportedly defected. Meanwhile, Islamic State militants said they had overtaken the Jahar gas field in Syria’s Homs province. If confirmed, it would be the second gas field seized by the militant group in a week following clashes with Syrian government forces.

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