The Syrian army announced on Friday it liberated the long-contested eastern city of Deir el-Zour from the Islamic State group, a largely symbolic victory in the military's bigger fight to capture the last remaining IS strongholds in the oil-rich
The Syrian army announced on Friday it liberated the long-contested eastern city of Deir el-Zour from the Islamic State group, a largely symbolic victory in the military's bigger fight to capture the last remaining IS strongholds in the oil-rich province along the border with Iraq.
Smoke billows from the Syrian city of Deir el-Zour during an operation by Syrian government forces against IS group jihadists on Thursday. Pic/AFP
ADVERTISEMENT
In a statement, the military said it was now in full control of the city, after a week-long campaign carried out with allied forces. It said army units were now removing booby traps and mines left behind by the extremist group in the city.
Deir el-Zour, on the west bank of the Euphrates River, had been divided into a government-held and an IS-held part for nearly three years. Syrian government forces and their pro-government allies first broke the militant group's siege of their part of the city in September in a Russian-backed offensive, and have been advancing against IS positions since then. The city is the largest in eastern Syria and the capital of the province with the same name.
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
