Feb. 12 (UPI) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared Sunday that the capture of al-Bab, Syria, from the Islamic State is just a "matter of time" and clears the way for the takeover of Raqqa.
Erodgan told reporters Turkish troops and their Syrian rebel allies entered the center of al-Bab and intend to clear a "safe zone" of 1,930 square miles. Al-Bab is the last urban stronghold of Islamic State in Aleppo province and is 110 miles from Raqqa.