Beirut — Islamic State (IS) is fighting hard to reinforce its presence in Syria as it loses ground in Iraq, deploying fighters to seize full control of a government-held city in the east while battling enemies on three other fronts. It underlines the residual strength of IS despite losing a cluster of Iraqi cities and half of Mosul, and indicates the challenges facing US President Donald Trump in the war he vows to wage against the group. The jihadists have opened their most ferocious assault yet to capture the last Syrian government-controlled area in the eastern province of Deir al-Zor, a pocket of Deir al-Zor city surrounded by IS territory. The assault has raised fears for tens of thousands of people living under government authority in the city. Their only supply route has been cut off since IS severed the road to the nearby air base last week. A military commander in the alliance of forces fighting in support of President Bashar al-Assad said IS was seeking to turn Deir al-Zor...
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