BEIRUT
(Reuters) - Syrian government forces seized full control of the last major town
in Homs province held by Islamic State, Syrian state media reported on
Saturday,
as the army and its allies press a multi-pronged advance into eastern
areas held by the jihadist group.
Syrian state
media cited a military source saying Islamic State militants had been killed
and their weapons destroyed at the town of al-Sukhna, some 50 km (30 miles)
northeast of the ancient city of Palmyra.
The town is
also located some 50 km (30 miles) from the provincial boundary of Deir al-Zor
province, Islamic State's last major foothold in Syria and a major target for
the Syrian government.
The
jihadists have lost swathes of Syrian territory to separate campaigns being
waged by government forces backed by Russia and Iran, and by the U.S.-backed
Syrian Democratic (SDF) Forces, which is dominated by the Kurdish YPG militia.
The SDF is currently focused on capturing Raqqa city from Islamic State.
Syrian
government forces advancing from the west have recently crossed into Deir
al-Zor province from southern areas of Raqqa province.
Islamic
State controls nearly all of Deir al-Zor province, which is bordered to the
east by Iraq. The Syrian government still controls a pocket of territory in
Deir al-Zor city, and a nearby military base.
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