IS Leaders Reportedly Fleeing Syrian De Facto Capital

Islamic State reportedly has moved some of its high-ranking commanders and their families from its de facto capital of Raqqa to the nearby Syrian province of Deir Ezzor, activists and local groups said.

The move came as U.S.-backed forces continue their push toward Raqqa, where IS fighters have been in control since 2014.

Although the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) this week succeeded in cutting off the main highway that links Raqqa to Deir Ezzor, local activists say that IS uses alternative routes that haven't yet been targeted by U.S.-led airstrikes and SDF fighters.

Read the full article at VOA.