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Syrian government says it retakes Deir al-Zor

 

Smoke rises as Syrian army soldiers stand near a checkpoint in Deir al-Zor, Syria September 21, 2017. REUTERS/Omar Sanadiki/Files

 

BEIRUT (Reuters) - The Syrian government regained complete control over the eastern city of Deir al-Zor from Islamic State, a Syrian military source and state television reported on Friday.

 

"The armed forces, in cooperation with allied forces, liberated the city of Deir al-Zor completely from the clutches of the Daesh terrorist organisation," the military source said, using an Arab acronym for Islamic State.

 

Islamic State had for years besieged a government enclave in the city until the army relieved it in early September, starting a battle for the jihadist-held parts of the city.

 

The army captured al-Hamidiya, Sheikh Yassin, al-Ardhi and al-Rashidia districts in recent attacks and the al-Hawiqa district was the last to be held by the jihadists, a military media unit run by the army's ally Hezbollah reported.

 

Deir al-Zor, on the west bank of the Euphrates, is the largest and most important city in eastern Syria. It is the centre of Syrian oil production.

 

An offensive by the army, backed by Russia, Iran and Shi'ite militias, and a separate offensive by U.S.-backed Syrian militias have pushed Islamic State back into a shrinking pocket of land downstream of Deir al-Zor near the Iraqi border.

 

(Reporting By Angus McDowall, editing by Larry King)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-11-03