U.S.-backed forces to attack Syria's Deir al-Zor soon: SDF official

U.S.-backed forces in Syria will soon launch an offensive to oust Islamic State militants from Deir al-Zor province, their last major foothold in the country, an SDF official said on Friday.The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) could start its assault on Deir al-Zor "within several weeks" in parallel with an ongoing battle for nearby Raqqa city, Ahmed Abu Khawla told Reuters.The SDF alliance of Kurdish and Arab militias has been fighting IS inside Raqqa since June after a months-long advance on the