IS loses towns in face of twin Syria, Iraq assaults

DEIR EZZOR, Syria: The Islamic State jihadist group Friday (Saturday in Manila) lost control of two of the last major towns under its grip in Syria and Iraq, as Syrian troops and Iraqi security forces advanced in the Euphrates Valley border region.

The simultaneous assaults on Deir Ezzor in eastern Syria and Al-Qaim in western Iraq dealt fresh blows to IS in its former heartland, leaving Albu Kamal, on the Syrian side of the border, as the last town of note under its control.