At least '18 dead' in IS attack on Kurd-held Syria town

At least 18 people were killed Thursday when Islamic State group jihadists attacked a town in northern Syria recently captured by Kurdish forces, a monitor said.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said several IS fighters infiltrated Sarrin, in Aleppo province, and attacked a school being used as a base by the Kurds.

A first attacker blew himself up with the rest then opening fire, the Britain-based monitor said.

At least 10 Kurdish fighters were killed in the blast and subsequent gun battle, along with eight IS members, including the bomber, the Observatory said.

Kurdish forces captured Sarrin on Monday, after several weeks of intense clashes with IS.

The town lies along the M4 highway, which IS uses to transport fighters and supplies between Aleppo province and the group's de facto Syrian capital of Raqa in the east.

Its capture cut off IS's main access route to parts of Aleppo province, where the jihadists are fighting both Kurdish forces and rebel groups.