Syrian Government Forces and Hezbollah Capture ISIS's Last Major Stronghold

A commander of the Syrian government forces announced on Wednesday that Syrian state forces and Hezbollah militants from Lebanon have captured the last major stronghold of the Islamic State group, ISIS, in Al-Bukamal. According to Reuters, this military commander stated that Al-Bukamal was fully liberated on Wednesday. Over the past two years, ISIS has suffered multiple defeats and has lost almost all of its 'caliphate' territory in Iraq and Syria. The group had managed to seize large parts of Iraq and Syria in 2014. After a month of advances by Syrian government forces and Hezbollah militants in central and eastern Syria, these forces were able to completely besiege the city of Al-Bukamal on Wednesday. The military commander emphasized that Hezbollah forces constituted the main operational body in Al-Bukamal, with hundreds of special forces from Hezbollah participating in the operation. Syrian state television also announced that 'Al-Bukamal has been liberated.' However, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that despite the announcement by government forces, clashes are still ongoing in some areas of Al-Bukamal. The city of Al-Bukamal is located along the Euphrates River and on the border with Iraq. Meanwhile, this military commander told Reuters that Hezbollah forces entered Iraqi territory during the battle for Al-Bukamal, and Iraqi Shiite militia forces, Hashd al-Shaabi, also entered Syrian territory to assist in the liberation of the city. Reuters noted that ISIS still controls some desert areas and villages around Al-Bukamal, as well as one city in Iraq. Bashar al-Assad, the President of Syria, stated in an interview the day before that the war in Syria will not end with victory in Deir ez-Zor. Last week, Syrian government forces announced that they had completely captured the city of Deir ez-Zor in eastern Syria. Bouthaina Shaaban, a political advisor to Bashar al-Assad, also stated that the presence of Turkish and American forces in Syrian territory is illegal and that Damascus will treat them as occupiers. The Syrian Democratic Forces, a coalition led by Kurds and supported by the U.S., also managed to capture Raqqa, the center of the Islamic State group, last month. The civil war in Syria has left hundreds of thousands dead and millions displaced. In related news, clashes between Iraqi forces and ISIS at the Syrian border resulted in 'dozens' killed and wounded in a car bomb explosion in Deir ez-Zor, while Syrian government forces 'fully regained the city of Deir ez-Zor from ISIS.'