Syrian troops encircle last Islamic State-held town

BEIRUT — Syrian troops and allied fighters encircle the last Islamic State-held town after linking up with Iraqi forces, pro-government media and a Syrian opposition monitoring group said.

Al-Manar TV, the media arm of the Lebanese Hezbollah group, says troops have surrounded the eastern town of Boukamal, on the border with Iraq. The Central Military Media Center, an outlet affiliated with the Syrian military, says Syrian troops and allied fighters have begun entering the town. The two outlets said earlier that Syrian troops had linked up with Iraqi forces across the border.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says the Iraqi forces entered Syria to help surround the town. Hezbollah and other Iran-backed militias are fighting alongside Syrian troops. The Observatory says government forces are shelling Boukamal from around 15 kilometers (9 miles) away. There is no immediate comment from the Iraqi side.

Boukamal is the last town controlled by IS in Syria and Iraq and was on a key IS supply route. US-backed Syrian forces have been battling IS in the surrounding province of Deir el-Zour, and were believed to be eyeing the town.

— AP