Syrian opposition activists say Islamic State (IS) militants have regained control of the Syrian town of Boukamal after fierce fighting with Syrian government troops.
Rami Abdurrahman of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human rights said on November 11 that Syrian government forces and their allies “are now between one to two kilometers from the city limits."
On November 9, the Syrian army said in a statement that it had "liberated" Boukamal, the last urban IS-stronghold in Syria.IS militants withdrew from Boukamal and launched a counteroffensive over the past two days.
Omar Abu Laila, a Europe-based Syrian opposition activist said IS fighters are now once again in control of the town that lies on the Syrian side of the border with Iraq.
There was no immediate comment from the Syrian government.
IS has suffered a string of defeats at the hands of separate but simultaneous offensives in Iraq and Syria by the Russian-backed Syrian forces and allied militias as well as U.S.-backed Iraqi and Syrian fighters.
Hundreds of thousands of people have been killed and millions have fled their homes since the war in Syria began in early 2011.