Politics
23:08, 30-Jun-2017
ISIL withdraws from last stronghold in Syria's Aleppo
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ISIL militants have withdrawn from the last territory they held in Syria's Aleppo after the Syrian army and allied forces retook the Ithriya-Rasafa road and areas east of Khanaser, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on Friday.
"ISIL withdrew from 17 towns and villages and is now effectively outside of Aleppo province after having a presence there for four years," said Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
Syrian army forces seized control of the road late Thursday night, prompting the remaining ISIL fighters to flee, Rahman explained.
A second military source, quoted by Syrian state news agency SANA, also confirmed that ISIL had pulled out of territory along the Ithraya-Rasafa road.
The Syrian army and allied troops wrested control of the eastern part of Aleppo last December and launched a wide-scale offensive in January to end ISIL's presence in the southern countryside of Aleppo.
(With input from Reuters, AFP)
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