Syrian army advance helps secure Aleppo road

The Syrian army said on Saturday it had seized mountainous territory from Islamic State to the east of the road linking Damascus to Aleppo, helping to secure a critical lifeline for the government that has often come under IS attack.The army also said it had seized 22 villages and farms from IS near Maskaneh, the last major IS-held town in Aleppo province.The capture of Maskaneh will bring Russian-backed government forces to the border of Raqqa province, much of which is held by U.S.-backed grou