Syrian regime forces have seized the key town of Sukhna in Homs from the "Islamic State" (IS), opening the way to a besieged pro-government garrison. The jihadists also face an attack in their de facto capital of Raqqa.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/M. Taha
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The town was captured after heavy artillery shelling and Russian air strikes, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Saturday. The central town of Sukhna is some 50 kilometers (31 miles) away from the ancient city of Palmyra.
Earlier on Saturday, state news agency SANA said that the Damascus forces attacked the city from three sides. However, the government did not immediately confirm that Sukhna was taken.
Road to Deir el-Zour
Sukhna is the last major urban stronghold of the IS militia in Syria's Homs province. Its capture marks a key strategic victory for the pro-government forces as it clears the way for them to aid their allies under IS-siege in the city of Deir el-Zour. The Islamist militia controls most of the province and parts of the city, and has kept some 200,000 people living in government-controlled areas since early 2015.
What is the 'Islamic State'?
IS has gone from an obscure al-Qaida splinter group to a global phenomenon. DW takes a look at the defining aspects of the jihadi group — from its "caliphate" to its tactics.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/Al-Furqan
Where did it come from?
The "Islamic State" (IS) — also known as ISIL, ISIS and Daesh — is an al-Qaida splinter group with a militant Sunni Islamist ideology. It emerged in the aftermath of the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 and is led by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Their goal is to create a worldwide "caliphate." It gained worldwide notoriety in 2014 after a blitzkrieg military campaign that resulted in the capture of Mosul.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo
Where does it operate?
IS is believed to be operational in more than a dozen countries across the world. It controls territories in Iraq and Syria. However, the group has lost much of the territory it controlled in Iraq and Syria at the height of its expansion in 2014.
Who is fighting back?
The US leads an international coalition of more than 50 countries, including several Arab nations. Russia, Iran and its Lebanese Shiite ally Hezbollah, which all support the Syrian government, also fight IS. Regional forces such as the Kurdish peshmerga (above) and US-backed Syrian Kurdish fighters, fight IS on the ground. The Iraqi army and militia have pushed IS from large parts of the country.
Image: picture-alliance/abaca/H. Huseyin
How does it fund itself?
One of IS' main sources of income has been oil and gas. At one point, it controlled an estimated one-third of Syria's oil production. However, US-led airstrikes deliberately targeted oil resources and the Syrian government as well as US-backed Syrian Kurdish fighters have retaken most oil wells. Other means of income include taxes, ransom, selling looted antiquities and extortion.
Image: Getty Images/J. Moore
Where does it carry out attacks?
IS has claimed responsibility for numerous terrorist attacks across the globe. The militant group has targeted capitals across the EU, including Berlin, Brussels and Paris. IS leaders have encouraged so-called "lone wolf" attacks, whereby individuals who support IS carry out terrorist acts without the direct involvement of the group.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/M. Spingler
What other tactics does it use?
The group uses various tactics to expand its power. IS fighters have looted and destroyed historical artifacts in Syria and Iraq in an attempt at "cultural cleansing." The group has also enslaved thousands of women from religious minority groups, including Yazidis. IS also uses a sophisticated social network to distribute propaganda and recruit sympathizers.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/J. Eid
How has it impacted the region?
IS has further exacerbated the ongoing Syrian conflict. Millions of Syrians and Iraqis have fled their homes, many traveling to Europe in pursuit of refuge. Although it has lost all of its strongholds, the militant group has left extraordinary destruction in its wake. Areas affected by the militant group's rule will likely take years to rebuild.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/D. Souleiman
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Syria's Deir el-Zour province borders Iraq, and links the IS' de facto capital of Raqqa with IS-controlled areas in Iraq.
The "Islamic State" has been losing ground in both Iraq and Syria, faced with the onslaught from US-backed Kurdish and Iraqi forces, as well as with pro-Damascus forces backed by Russia. It was recently routed from its long-held stronghold of Mosul in Iraq. The Kurdish-dominated Syrian Defense Forces now control more than half of the Syrian metropolis of Raqqa, which serves as de-facto capital for the "Islamic State."
