Islamic State closes in on Syrian city of Aleppo; U.S. abandons rebel training effort

A rebel fighter gestures as he shoots his weapon during clashes with forces loyal to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad on the frontline of Aleppo's Sheikh Saeed neighbourhood May 23, 2015. REUTERS/Hosam Katan

BEIRUT/ANKARA (Reuters) - Islamic State fighters have seized villages close to the northern city of Aleppo from rival insurgents, a monitoring group said on Friday, despite an intensifying Russian air-and-sea campaign that Moscow says has targeted the militant group.

News of the advance came as the United States announced it was largely abandoning its failed programme to train moderate rebels fighting Islamic State and would instead provide arms and equipment directly to rebel leaders and their units on the battlefield.