On Wednesday, US-backed Syrian forces recaptured the border with Iraq from the Islamic State (ISIS), as heavy clashes enter their third week in the last major foothold of the jihadist group.
The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) has been attempting to take ISIS’s territory on the banks of the Euphrates near Iraq for weeks, in an offensive backed by US-led airstrikes.
The US-led airstrikes have killed dozens of people in Deir ez-Zor province, including 15 family members on Tuesday.
The strikes targeted hospital, schools and public facilities.
Meanwhile, the Kurdish-led militia seeks to take the town of Hajin.
The battle for Hajin has dragged on for three months, highlighting the difficulty of eradicating an extremist group determined to survive.
ISIS has resorted to guerrilla tactics since it abandoned its goal of holding territory and creating a self-declared caliphate straddling Iraq and Syria.
Since the Syrian revolution erupted in 2011, more than 560,000 people have been killed, and more than 6 million people have been displaced.
This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
