Fierce fighting for last stronghold of Islamic State

BEIRUT: Fierce fighting was underway on Monday between Us-backed Syrian forces and the Islamic State group around the extremists’ last foothold in eastern Syria, with the besieged militants fighting back using suicide car bombs, snipers and booby traps, a Syrian war monitor and a Kurdish news agency said. The Us-backed Syrian Democratic Forces on Saturday launched a final push to clear the area from IS. The capture of the Is-held village of Baghouz and nearby areas would mark the end of a four-year war to end IS’ territorial hold in Syria and Iraq.