The Syrian army and allied forces have taken full control of the city of Deir Ezzor from ISIS, Syria’s Defense Ministry and state media said Friday.
Deir Ezzor was the last major Syrian city in ISIS’ hands.
“Syria’s Army in cooperation with allied forces liberated the entire city of Deir Ezzor from the ISIS after killing a large number of the terrorists, among them foreigners,” the Syrian Defense ministry said in a statement.
“The Syrian Arab Army restored security and stability to the entire city of Deir Ezzor after eliminating Daesh’s last stronghold in it,” Syrian state media said, using an Arabic name for ISIS.
Two Syrian government enclaves in the city’s west were besieged by ISIS for more than three years before theterror group was ousted about two months ago by the Syrian military backed by Russian forces.
The reported fall of Deir Ezzor follows ISIS fighters’ loss of Raqqa, the de facto capital of the so-called ISIS caliphate, last month to US-backed militias.
ISIS still holds positions in a number towns and villages in eastern Syria, near the Iraqi border.
