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