<div><span style="font-size: 13.3333px;">In Syria, US-backed fighters have ousted the last Islamic State terror group from the northeast province of Hasakeh. </span></div>''<div><span style="font-size: 13.3333px;"><br />''</span></div>''<div><span style="font-size: 13.3333px;">According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor, the Syrian Democratic Forces, an alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters backed by the Washington-led coalition, have cleared a string of outposts in Hasakeh.  It said, now, for the first time since 2013, the province is completely empty of IS. </span></div>''<div><span style="font-size: 13.3333px;"><br />''</span></div>''<div><span style="font-size: 13.3333px;">Meanwhile, Russia bombed rebel-held areas in Syria's south for the first time since it agreed on a ceasefire there nearly a year ago. </span></div>''<div><span style="font-size: 13.3333px;"><br />''</span></div>''<div><span style="font-size: 13.3333px;">Nearly 25 strikes slammed into rebel-held towns in Daraa yesterday, that has faced escalating regime shelling in recent days ahead of an apparent ground assault.</span></div>