(VOVworld) – The Syrian army, backed by Russian aircraft, regained control of in central Homes province from IS forces on Sunday, a day after Syrian forces destroyed the IS defense line near Palmyra.

A Syrian soldier holds the Syrian flag while walking at a battlefield in the countryside of Homes rovince, central Syria, on March 19, 2016 (Xinhua photo)

Qaryatain was the last IS stronghold near Qualamoun close to the border with Lebanon. The victory in Qaryatain came a week after the Syrian army recaptured Palmyra, signaling the imminent collapse of IS in Syria.