Homs (Syria) - Syrian government and allied forces have taken the last major town in Homs province from the Islamic State, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Saturday, as the army advances toward militant strongholds in the east of the country. The town of al-Sukhna lies some 50 km (30 miles) northeast of the ancient city of Palmyra, which was captured by government forces in March. It is also 50 km from the administrative frontier of Deir al-Zor province, which is almost entirely under Islamic State control. US-led operations against IS are currently focused on taking Raqqa city in northern Syria.
