DAMASCUS, June 2, 2016 (Xinhua) -- A convoy of relief aid enters the besieged rebel-held city of Daraya near Damascus, capital of Syria, on June 1, 2016. Relief aid entered the besieged city of Daraya near the capital Damascus on Wednesday, the first to enter the rebel-held city since 2012, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). (Xinhua/Ammar)
DAMASCUS, June 19 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian army continued its advance into the northern province of Al-Raqqa, the de facto capital of the Islamic State (IS), a military source told Xinhua.
On Sunday, government forces captured the Al-Thawra oilfield and stormed into housing units in western Al-Raqqa after battling IS militants, the source said on condition of anonymity.
Military forces are now merely 10 km from the Al-Tabaqa airbase, located in a town of the same name west of Al-Raqqa, the source added.
On June 4, the Syrian army entered Al-Raqqa's administrative borders, days after unleashing a widescale offensive against the route between the town of Athriya in the central province of Hama, and the Al-Tabaqa town in Al-Raqqa countryside.
Pan-Arab Al-Mayadeen TV said the aim of attacking Al-Raqqa is to recapture the town of Al-Tabqa due to its strategic importance.
The route would enable the Syrian army to sever key routes linking Al-Raqqa with the northern province of Aleppo, where IS control some of the border towns near Turkey and from where it smuggles fighters and weapons.
This new achievement comes only one day after Iraqi forces expelled IS from one of their Iraqi strongholds, the city of Fallujah.
The Syrian government hailed the Iraqi victory, adding that it will positively reflect on the war against terrorism in Syria as well.
