ISIL seizes key towns in eastern Syria - monitoring group

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Fighters of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) on Friday captured key towns in eastern Syria adjoining territory the al Qaeda splinter group has seized in Iraq, a monitoring organisation said.

The Islamists, whose stated aim is to create a strict Islamic state straddling national borders, took over the towns of Muhassan, Albulil and Albuomar, the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.