People reunite as they returned to their homes in the al-Waer neighborhood in the central city of Homs, Syria, on July 11, 2017. About 630 people returned to their homes in al-Waer on Tuesday, from the rebel-held northern city of Jarablus, to which they were evacuated in May, due to a deal concluded between them and the government under the supervision and mediation of Russia. (Xinhua Photo)

DAMASCUS, July 28 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian government forces backed by Russian Air Force have reached the outskirts of the Sukhneh town, the last Islamic State (IS) stronghold in the central province of Homs, a military source told Xinhua on Friday.

The Syrian army has reached the outskirts of Sukhneh in the eastern countryside of Homs, as part of a wide-scale military offensive to drive out IS from the Syrian Desert, the source said on condition of anonymity.

Capturing Sukhneh would enable the Syrian army to break the IS siege to the eastern province of Deir al-Zour near Iraq, the source said.

Sukhneh lies on the road between Palmyra and Deir al-Zour, and is the last IS stronghold in eastern Homs, where the Syrian army has been carrying out a crushing offensive over the past few months to end the presence of IS there.

The Russian warplanes have been also supporting the ground Syrian troops and allied fighters in their push to clear the desert of IS.