ISIS withdraws from last Syrian stronghold

Islamic State (ISIS) militants on Thursday withdrew from their last stronghold in Syria after intense clashes with the government forces, Syrian officials and a war monitor group confirmed. The Syrian military said it liberated the town of Boukamal and continued to chase other ISIS militants in different directions in the desert. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said government forces and allied troops are still combing through the town following the militants’ withdrawal. Syrian Army spokesman Gen. Ali Mayhoub said in a televised statement the liberation of Boukamal, which is located at the Iraqi border, is important as “it is a declaration of the fall of this group’s project in the region generally, and the collapse of its supporters’ illusions to divide it, control large parts of the Syria-Iraq borders, and secure supply routes between the two countries.” ISIS continues to suffer defeats in Iraq and Syria. Iraqi forces last month announced they recaptured the city of Hawija, the last ISIS stronghold in Iraq.