Syrian army takes last IS-held town in Homs

Syrian government and allied forces have taken the last major town in Homs province from IS, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said, as the army advances toward militant strongholds in the east of the country. The town of al-Sukhna lies some 50km northeast of the ancient city of Palmyra, which was captured by government forces in March. al-Sukhna is some 50 km from the administrative frontier of Deir al-Zor province, which is almost entirely under Islamic State control.