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Syrian army retakes IS-held city as Iraqis also advance
The Syrian army has retaken Deir al-Zour, the last major stronghold of so-called Islamic State (IS) in Syria, state TV says.
Other reports said the Syrian army and its allies were clearing the last pockets of resistance from IS. IS had held most of the city since 2014. It was important because of its proximity to the border with Iraq. Meanwhile Iraqi forces have entered one of the last towns under IS control on the other side of the border. Some 350,000 civilians in Syria's Deir al-Zour province have been forced to flee their homes during weeks of fighting.
