ISIS seizes last Syria-Iraq border crossing

The loss of the al-Tanf (known as al-Waleed in Iraq) crossing to ISIS Thursday night followed the Syrian army’s defeat at the ancient city of Palmyra. DEBKAfile adds: With the capture of the Al-Tanif crossing point, the Islamic State has strengthened its grip on its adjacent holdings – Deir el-Zour in Syria and Anbar region in Iraq. The London-based opposition center says that the Islamic State now controls more than 95,000 sq km of Syria – roughly half of the country’s area.