BEIRUT — Syrian troops reached the edge of the northern province of Raqqa on Saturday, home to the de facto capital of the Islamic State group’s self-styled caliphate, in a push that leaves the extremists fighting fierce battles on four fronts in Syria and neighboring Iraq.

The Islamic State, or ISIS, which controls large swaths of territory in both countries, is fighting Syrian troops, U.S.-backed fighters and opposition militants in northern Syria and is facing an offensive by Iraqi government forces on their stronghold of Fallujah.

Fighters of the Syria Democratic Forces keep watch in the northern province of Raqqa, Syria last week. An array of forces is closing in on Islamic State forces in Raqqa. Reuters

The Syrian government has had no presence in Raqqa since August 2014, when ISIS captured the Tabqa air base and killed scores of government soldiers. The provincial capital, Raqqa, became the militants’ first city.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Syrian troops reached the “administrative border” of Raqqa province under the cover of Russian airstrikes. It said that during three days of fighting 26 ISIS fighters and nine troops and pro-government gunmen were killed.

The media arm of Lebanon’s Hezbollah group, which is fighting alongside government forces, said Syrian troops reached the border of Raqqa province after advancing about 4 miles on Saturday afternoon.

The front line is around 50 miles from the city of Raqqa.

Syrian troops began their advance toward the province Wednesday, the same day that U.S.-backed forces launched an attack on the ISIS-stronghold of Manbij, some 72 miles to the northwest of Raqqa. It is unclear if the attacks were coordinated.

The U.S.-backed predominantly Kurdish Syria Democratic Forces advanced closer to Manbij, which lies on a key supply route linking the Turkish border to the city of Raqqa, Saturday.

The Observatory said SDF fighters had captured 34 villages near Manbij. Another activist group, the Local Coordination Committees, said the fighting is now concentrated on the south of the town.

ISIS fighters are also engaged in fierce battles for the rebel-held stronghold of Marea, a town west of Manbij. ISIS has surrounded Marea on three sides but has failed to capture the city, which is under control of rebels and fighters from the al-Qaida affiliated Nusra Front.

“The fighting is very intense on three fronts in Marea,” said opposition activist Baraa al-Halaby, who is based in northern Syria.

While battles rage in Raqqa province, Manbij and Marea, ISIS fighters are also coming under fire in their Iraqi stronghold of Fallujah. Iraqi forces launched their offensive on the city almost two weeks ago, and say they have reached the edge of town.

On the city’s northern edge, Iraq’s military issued a statement announcing that ISIS had been pushed out of the neighborhood of Saqlawiya, Saturday.

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