The Islamic State group had lost ground Saturday in a town on the Syrian-Iraqi border after pro-regime forces repelled a major attack the day before, a Britain-based monitor said.

Violent clashes were ongoing in Albu Kamal, which lies in the Euphrates Valley in eastern Syria, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said.

"IS has retreated from inside the town to its western and northwestern parts" after pro-regime forces pushed back the jihadists, Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said.

Pro-government reinforcements had arrived, he said.

On Friday, IS used at least 10 suicide bombers in its offensive on Albu Kamal, swiftly taking several of its neighbourhoods, the monitor said.&nbsp

It was the biggest attack on the town since the jihadist group lost it in November 2017, and the latest in a string of attacks by IS across Syria.

Neither Syrian state media nor the army reported Friday's attack on Albu Kamal.

The fighting in the town over the past 24 hours has killed 30 pro-regime fighters, the Observatory said.

These include 16 regime troops among them a general, as well as 14 non-Syrian combattants, notably Iranians and Lebanese Hezbollah movement fighters, the monitor said.

Twenty-one IS jihadists were also killed in that same period, including the 10 suicide bombers, according to the same source.

IS has ramped up its attacks against pro-regime forces since its fighters in May left their last bastion near Damascus under an evacuation deal with the regime.

IS in 2014 proclaimed a cross-border "caliphate" in Syria and neighbouring Iraq, but has since lost most of its territory to various military offensives.

Its presence is mostly confined to pockets of eastern Syria in the vast desert stretching from the country's centre to the border with Iraq.

Earlier this week, IS assaults in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor killed 45 pro-regime fighters.

On Thursday, IS jihadists also killed 22 pro-regime fighters in surprise attacks in the southern province of Sweida, a monitor said.

Violent clashes were ongoing in Albu Kamal, which lies in the Euphrates Valley in eastern Syria, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said

The Islamic State group had lost ground Saturday in a town on the Syrian-Iraqi border after pro-regime forces repelled a major attack the day before, a Britain-based monitor said. Violent clashes were ongoing in Albu Kamal, which lies in the Euphrates Valley in eastern Syria, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said. "IS has retreated from inside the town to its western and northwestern parts" after pro-regime forces pushed back the jihadists, Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said. Pro-government reinforcements had arrived, he said. On Friday, IS used at least 10 suicide bombers in its offensive on Albu Kamal, swiftly taking several of its neighbourhoods, the monitor said. It was the biggest attack on the town since the jihadist group lost it in November 2017, and the latest in a string of attacks by IS across Syria. Neither Syrian state media nor the army reported Friday's attack on Albu Kamal. The fighting in the town over the past 24 hours has killed 30 pro-regime fighters, the Observatory said. These include 16 regime troops among them a general, as well as 14 non-Syrian combattants, notably Iranians and Lebanese Hezbollah movement fighters, the monitor said. Twenty-one IS jihadists were also killed in that same period, including the 10 suicide bombers, according to the same source. IS has ramped up its attacks against pro-regime forces since its fighters in May left their last bastion near Damascus under an evacuation deal with the regime. IS in 2014 proclaimed a cross-border "caliphate" in Syria and neighbouring Iraq, but has since lost most of its territory to various military offensives. Its presence is mostly confined to pockets of eastern Syria in the vast desert stretching from the country's centre to the border with Iraq. Earlier this week, IS assaults in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor killed 45 pro-regime fighters. On Thursday, IS jihadists also killed 22 pro-regime fighters in surprise attacks in the southern province of Sweida, a monitor said.

IS jihadists lose ground in Syria town after major attack: Monitor

Air strikes on the last pocket of Islamic State jihadists in eastern Syria have killed at least 25 civilians, including seven children, a monitor said Monday.

The strikes were conducted on Sunday on and around the village of Al-Shaafah, north of the former IS bastion of Albu Kamal near the border with Iraq, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

The strikes were conducted on Sunday on and around the village of Al-Shaafah, north of the former IS bastion of Albu Kamal near the border with Iraq

Air strikes on the last pocket of Islamic State jihadists in eastern Syria have killed at least 25 civilians, including seven children, a monitor said Monday. The strikes were conducted on Sunday on and around the village of Al-Shaafah, north of the former IS bastion of Albu Kamal near the border with Iraq, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

Strikes on east Syria's last IS pocket kill 25 civilians

The Syrian army and loyalist militiamen Sunday retook full control of Albu Kamal from the Islamic State group, a military source said, ousting the jihadists from their last urban stronghold in Syria.

The military source in Deir Ezzor told AFP that &quot;Syrian troops and allied forces took full control of Albu Kamal, and are removing mines and explosives left by Islamic State&quot; in the town on the Iraqi border.&nbsp;

Albu Kamal has changed hands several times, with government forces announcing its capture earlier this month but losing it to a blistering Islamic State counter-attack a week ago.

&quot;Syrian troops and allied forces took full control of Albu Kamal, and are removing mines and explosives left by Islamic State,&quot; the military source in Deir Ezzor told AFP on Sunday.&nbsp;

&quot;IS put up fierce resistance and tried to use explosives and suicide bombers, but besieging the city allowed the army to clinch the offensive and take full control of the city,&quot; the source added.

State news agency SANA also reported the advance in Albu Kamal, saying the &quot;Syrian army and its allies eliminated the last Daesh (Islamic State) terrorist pocket in the town.&quot;

A string of territorial defeats across northern and eastern Syria had left Albu Kamal as the last significant Syrian town held by Islamic State.&nbsp;

Syria&#39;s army announced on November 9 that it had ousted Islamic State from the town, but the jihadists launched a lightning offensive and retook it.

A week later, the army and allied Iraqi, Lebanese, and Iranian fighters broke back into Albu Kamal and steadily advanced through the town.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed on Sunday that Syrian troops and their allies had captured Albu Kamal.&nbsp;

&quot;Islamic State fighters withdrew from the city towards the Euphrates River,&quot; Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP.

&quot;There is no more fighting in the town, but there are clashes around Albu Kamal,&quot; he said.

The monitor said more than 80 fighters were killed in the three days of ferocious push to retake the town, including 31 pro-regime forces and at least 50 Islamic State jihadists.&nbsp;

Islamic State seized large areas of both Syria and neighbouring Iraq in a lightning 2014 campaign, but this year has lost much of the territory it once held.

The loss of Albu Kamal caps the group&#39;s reversion to an underground guerrilla organisation with no urban base.&nbsp;

Albu Kamal has changed hands several times, with government forces announcing its capture earlier this month but losing it to a blistering Islamic State counter-attack a week ago

The Syrian army and loyalist militiamen Sunday retook full control of Albu Kamal from the Islamic State group, a military source said, ousting the jihadists from their last urban stronghold in Syria. The military source in Deir Ezzor told AFP that "Syrian troops and allied forces took full control of Albu Kamal, and are removing mines and explosives left by Islamic State" in the town on the Iraqi border. Albu Kamal has changed hands several times, with government forces announcing its capture earlier this month but losing it to a blistering Islamic State counter-attack a week ago. "Syrian troops and allied forces took full control of Albu Kamal, and are removing mines and explosives left by Islamic State," the military source in Deir Ezzor told AFP on Sunday. "IS put up fierce resistance and tried to use explosives and suicide bombers, but besieging the city allowed the army to clinch the offensive and take full control of the city," the source added. State news agency SANA also reported the advance in Albu Kamal, saying the "Syrian army and its allies eliminated the last Daesh (Islamic State) terrorist pocket in the town." A string of territorial defeats across northern and eastern Syria had left Albu Kamal as the last significant Syrian town held by Islamic State. Syria's army announced on November 9 that it had ousted Islamic State from the town, but the jihadists launched a lightning offensive and retook it. A week later, the army and allied Iraqi, Lebanese, and Iranian fighters broke back into Albu Kamal and steadily advanced through the town. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed on Sunday that Syrian troops and their allies had captured Albu Kamal. "Islamic State fighters withdrew from the city towards the Euphrates River," Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP. "There is no more fighting in the town, but there are clashes around Albu Kamal," he said. The monitor said more than 80 fighters were killed in the three days of ferocious push to retake the town, including 31 pro-regime forces and at least 50 Islamic State jihadists. Islamic State seized large areas of both Syria and neighbouring Iraq in a lightning 2014 campaign, but this year has lost much of the territory it once held. The loss of Albu Kamal caps the group's reversion to an underground guerrilla organisation with no urban base.

Syria army, allies, retake Albu Kamal from Islamic State: Military source

Syrian troops and allied fighters advanced Saturday to capture most of Albu Kamal, a monitor said, in a tug-of-war over the Islamic State group&#39;s last urban stronghold in the country.

The town in Syria&#39;s oil-rich Deir Ezzor province has changed hands several times, with government troops announcing its capture but losing it to a blistering IS counter-attack a week ago.

Syria&#39;s army and Lebanese, Iranian and Iraqi loyalists re-entered Albu Kamal two days ago and by Saturday had taken most of it from IS, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

&quot;Syrian regime forces, (Lebanese) Hezbollah, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, and Iraqi militias seized control on Saturday of more than 80 percent of Albu Kamal, after a huge attack that began Friday night,&quot; said Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman.

&quot;IS was pushed back to the northern and northeastern sectors of the city. Clashes are ongoing,&quot; Abdel Rahman told AFP.

The Britain-based monitor said the fresh push came with heavy bombing raids by regime ally Russia, and that troops were advancing more &quot;carefully&quot; than in their previous assault to ensure their gains would not be rolled back.&nbsp;

A string of territorial defeats across northern and eastern Syria left Albu Kamal, near the border with Iraq, as the last significant town held by IS in the country.&nbsp;

Losing it to regime forces would cap the group&#39;s reversion to a guerrilla organisation with no urban base.

On Saturday, Syrian state television aired live footage from Albu Kamal, showing plumes of smoke rising over the city&#39;s skyline as explosions echoed in the background.

It said the army was preparing to &quot;storm the remaining areas&quot; held by IS in Albu Kamal&#39;s east.

&quot;What has most impeded the Syrian army&#39;s advance is the large amounts of mines left by Daesh (IS) and its attempt at using families as human shields,&quot; state television reported.&nbsp;

Syrian troops and allied fighters advanced Saturday to capture most of Albu Kamal, a monitor said, in a tug-of-war over the Islamic State group's last urban stronghold in the country.

Syrian troops and allied fighters advanced Saturday to capture most of Albu Kamal, a monitor said, in a tug-of-war over the Islamic State group's last urban stronghold in the country. The town in Syria's oil-rich Deir Ezzor province has changed hands several times, with government troops announcing its capture but losing it to a blistering IS counter-attack a week ago. Syria's army and Lebanese, Iranian and Iraqi loyalists re-entered Albu Kamal two days ago and by Saturday had taken most of it from IS, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. "Syrian regime forces, (Lebanese) Hezbollah, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, and Iraqi militias seized control on Saturday of more than 80 percent of Albu Kamal, after a huge attack that began Friday night," said Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman. "IS was pushed back to the northern and northeastern sectors of the city. Clashes are ongoing," Abdel Rahman told AFP. The Britain-based monitor said the fresh push came with heavy bombing raids by regime ally Russia, and that troops were advancing more "carefully" than in their previous assault to ensure their gains would not be rolled back. A string of territorial defeats across northern and eastern Syria left Albu Kamal, near the border with Iraq, as the last significant town held by IS in the country. Losing it to regime forces would cap the group's reversion to a guerrilla organisation with no urban base. On Saturday, Syrian state television aired live footage from Albu Kamal, showing plumes of smoke rising over the city's skyline as explosions echoed in the background. It said the army was preparing to "storm the remaining areas" held by IS in Albu Kamal's east. "What has most impeded the Syrian army's advance is the large amounts of mines left by Daesh (IS) and its attempt at using families as human shields," state television reported.

Syria troops, allies retake most of the last IS-held town: Monitor

<p content="Islamic State group jihadists have recaptured nearly all of Albu Kamal, putting up a fierce fightback for what had been the last significant Syrian town under their control, a monitor said Saturday." type="text">Islamic State group jihadists have recaptured nearly all of Albu Kamal, putting up a fierce fightback for what had been the last significant Syrian town under their control, a monitor said Saturday.

Syrian regime forces and allied militia overran Albu Kamal, which lies on the border with Iraq, on Thursday but have since faced a string of IS counter-attacks.

On Saturday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said IS had &#39;ambushed&#39;&nbsp;the attacking forces and managed to oust them from most of the town.

<p content="&quot;IS has almost completely retaken control of Albu Kamal, pushing pro-regime forces to its southern and eastern edges,&quot; said Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Britain-based monitor." type="text">&quot;IS has almost completely retaken control of Albu Kamal, pushing pro-regime forces to its southern and eastern edges,&quot; said Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Britain-based monitor.

Clashes were still raging there on Saturday, he said.

IS began counter-attacking on Thursday night, swiftly retaking several northern districts of Albu Kamal from pro-government fighters.

&quot;It was Daesh&#39;s biggest ambush operation, tricking the attacking forces into thinking they had controlled the city,&quot; Abdel Rahman said, using the Arabic acronym for IS.

Albu Kamal lies at the heart of what used to be the sprawling &#39;caliphate&#39;&nbsp;that IS declared in 2014 across swathes of Iraq and Syria.

Losing it completely would have capped the group&#39;s reversion to an underground guerrilla organisation with no urban base.

<p content="Russian-backed Syrian regime forces and allied fighters had steadily advanced on Albu Kamal from the south and west for weeks, while Iraqi forces had closed in on the border area from the east." type="text">Russian-backed Syrian regime forces and allied fighters had steadily advanced on Albu Kamal from the south and west for weeks, while Iraqi forces had closed in on the border area from the east.

The Observatory has said most of the fighting was done by the Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah and elite forces from its backer Tehran, as well as militia groups from Iraq.

On Saturday, Abdel Rahman said Albu Kamal was being pummelled by air strikes, but he could not specify whether they were Iraqi or Russian raids.

Across the border on Saturday, Iraqi forces launched an assault to capture the last pocket of IS territory in their country.

The Euphrates valley town of Rawa and nearby villages were bypassed by government troops and allied militia when they retook the border town of Al-Qaim last week.

Syrian regime forces and allied militia overran Albu Kamal, which lies on the border with Iraq, on Thursday but have since faced a string of IS counter-attacks.

Islamic State group jihadists have recaptured nearly all of Albu Kamal, putting up a fierce fightback for what had been the last significant Syrian town under their control, a monitor said Saturday. Syrian regime forces and allied militia overran Albu Kamal, which lies on the border with Iraq, on Thursday but have since faced a string of IS counter-attacks. On Saturday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said IS had 'ambushed' the attacking forces and managed to oust them from most of the town. "IS has almost completely retaken control of Albu Kamal, pushing pro-regime forces to its southern and eastern edges," said Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Britain-based monitor. Clashes were still raging there on Saturday, he said. IS began counter-attacking on Thursday night, swiftly retaking several northern districts of Albu Kamal from pro-government fighters. "It was Daesh's biggest ambush operation, tricking the attacking forces into thinking they had controlled the city," Abdel Rahman said, using the Arabic acronym for IS. Albu Kamal lies at the heart of what used to be the sprawling 'caliphate' that IS declared in 2014 across swathes of Iraq and Syria. Losing it completely would have capped the group's reversion to an underground guerrilla organisation with no urban base. Russian-backed Syrian regime forces and allied fighters had steadily advanced on Albu Kamal from the south and west for weeks, while Iraqi forces had closed in on the border area from the east. The Observatory has said most of the fighting was done by the Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah and elite forces from its backer Tehran, as well as militia groups from Iraq. On Saturday, Abdel Rahman said Albu Kamal was being pummelled by air strikes, but he could not specify whether they were Iraqi or Russian raids. Across the border on Saturday, Iraqi forces launched an assault to capture the last pocket of IS territory in their country. The Euphrates valley town of Rawa and nearby villages were bypassed by government troops and allied militia when they retook the border town of Al-Qaim last week.

IS retakes almost all of vital Syria border town: Monitor

The Syrian army and its allies have taken Albu Kamal, Islamic State&rsquo;s last major stronghold in Syria, representing the end of Islamic State&rsquo;s project in the region, the army general command said on Thursday.

The army said it is now fighting the last remaining IS pockets in the country&rsquo;s eastern desert, an army statement said.

&ldquo;The liberation of Albu Kamal city is very important because it signals the general fall of the terrorist Daesh organisation&rsquo;s project in the region,&rdquo; a statement from the general command said.

Alongside Lebanon&rsquo;s Hezbollah and other Shi&lsquo;ite militias, and backed by Iran and Russia, the Syrian army has recently seized swathes of land from Islamic State.

Albu Kamal, on the Euphrates River, is located in Syria&rsquo;s eastern Deir al-Zor province on the Iraqi border.

On Wednesday, during the battle, Hezbollah forces entered Iraq and the Iraqi Popular Mobilisation Forces crossed into Syria to help capture the town, a commander in the pro-Damascus alliance told Reuters on Wednesday.

The Syrian army and its allies have taken Albu Kamal, Islamic State?s last major stronghold in Syria, representing the end of Islamic State?s project in the region, the army general command said on Thursday.

The Syrian army and its allies have taken Albu Kamal, Islamic State’s last major stronghold in Syria, representing the end of Islamic State’s project in the region, the army general command said on Thursday. The army said it is now fighting the last remaining IS pockets in the country’s eastern desert, an army statement said. “The liberation of Albu Kamal city is very important because it signals the general fall of the terrorist Daesh organisation’s project in the region,” a statement from the general command said. Alongside Lebanon’s Hezbollah and other Shi‘ite militias, and backed by Iran and Russia, the Syrian army has recently seized swathes of land from Islamic State. Albu Kamal, on the Euphrates River, is located in Syria’s eastern Deir al-Zor province on the Iraqi border. On Wednesday, during the battle, Hezbollah forces entered Iraq and the Iraqi Popular Mobilisation Forces crossed into Syria to help capture the town, a commander in the pro-Damascus alliance told Reuters on Wednesday.

Syrian army takes last Islamic State bastion in Syria

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