Damascus, March 8 (RHC-Xinhua) -- The Syrian army on Tuesday captured the town of Khafseh and the water stations in that area in the eastern countryside of Aleppo province in northern Syria, following battles with the Islamic State (IS) group, the pro-government al-Watan online newspaper reported.

Capturing Khafseh from Islamic State was crucial as the area contains the springs that supply the city of Aleppo with drinking water.

The 1.5 million inhabitants of Aleppo have been without drinking water for eight weeks, since the Islamic State cut the water pumping into the city.

Meanwhile, the report said that celebrations broke out in Aleppo city over the liberation of the town and the anticipated return of drinking water.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights similarly confirmed the Syrian army's capture of the water stations of Khafseh on the western bank of the Euphrates River.