Islamic State seizes last border crossing between Syria and Iraq

DAMASCUS, Syria, May 22 (UPI) -- Islamic State militants seized the last government-controlled border crossing between Syria and Iraq, an observer group said Friday.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said IS -- also identified by the acronyms ISIS and ISIL -- took control of the al-Tanf crossing, allowing militants a more direct link between east-central Syria and Iraq's Anbar province, the BBC reported. The crossing is known as al-Waleed in Iraq.

The news comes days after IS took full control of the ancient city of Palmyra, thus taking over about 50 percent of Syria. The militants now have a firm hold on the provinces of Deir al-Zour and Raqqa, and have a strong presence in Hasakeh, Aleppo, Homs and Hama.

Meanwhile, YPG Kurdish forces in Syria seized the al-Ya'robiyyi crossing in Syria which links to the Iraqi town of Rabi-ah. After clashes with IS, the Kurdish fighters took control over the Assyrian villages of Tal Shamira and Tal Nasri and other locations near the town of Tal Tamer.

Iraq's Deputy Prime Minister Saleh al-Mutlaq called for help from the international community in the fight against IS.

"All the world will face this danger if there is not a clear strategy to fight Islamic State," he said.

Since Wednesday, the United States has executed 18 airstrikes in Syria and Iraq. White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said the situation with IS would not "be solved overnight."

"Until we're able to build up local forces on the ground in Syria who can take the fight to ISIL in their own country, this is going to continue to be a difficult challenge," he said.

Meanwhile, U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., on Friday blasted President Barack Obama for saying that the United States isn't losing the fight against IS.

He told CNN "the president's strategy is certainly not succeeding — it's an abject failure.

"It's mind-boggling that the President could keep saying, and (administration officials) could keep saying what they're saying while thousands of people are being butchered, burning bodies in the streets, executions, beheadings," McCain added.

He said the United States must deploy 10,000 troops to help Iraqi forces fight against the terror group.