IS militants seize control of last Syrian border point with Iraq

The Islamic State (IS) militants seized control of the last border point between Syria and Iraq on Thursday, as part of the recent progress the terror group has been making in both countries, a monitor group reported.

The IS terror group has become in control of the Syrian side of the al-Tanf, also known as al-Walid, border-crossing between the Syrian desert and Iraq, following the withdrawal of the Syrian forces from that border point, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Other activists reported that the Syrian border guards set the buildings and officers there on fire ahead of their withdrawal.

With the fall of the al-Tanf in the hands of the IS, the Syrian forces have lost all of its border crossings with Iraq, as the terror group had captured the Bukamal crossing in Syria's eastern province of Deir al-Zour and Kurdish militants captured the al-Yarubiyeh crossings in the northeastern province of Hasakah.

Last month, the Syrian forces also lost the Nasib border crossing with Jordan to the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front.

Now, the Syrian government has only two crossings with Lebanon, as the rest have fallen to various rebel groups in the north and east.

The IS capture of al-Tanf comes a day after the extremist group took full control over the ancient city of Palmyra in central Syria, a progress that have added to the setbacks the Syrian army has been suffering from in northern and southern Syria. Endit