adin , ▁the ▁second ▁biggest ▁town ▁in ▁De ir ▁E zz or ▁province , ▁was ▁also ▁" now ▁under ▁IS ▁control , ▁after ▁Al - N us ra ▁Front ▁ev acu ated ▁its ▁headquarters ▁there , ▁and ▁IS ▁raised ▁its ▁b anner ". ▁On ▁ 3 ▁July ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁all ▁towns ▁and ▁villages ▁on ▁the ▁route ▁from ▁Ab u ▁Kam al ▁to ▁Al - B ab , ▁passing ▁through ▁the ▁Ra qq a ▁province , ▁were ▁under ▁Islam ic ▁State ▁control . ▁ ▁O wing ▁to ▁its ▁distance ▁from ▁the ▁front line , ▁the ▁town ▁would ▁see ▁little ▁fighting ▁between ▁its ▁capture ▁by ▁I SI L ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 4 ▁and ▁I SI L ' s ▁retre at ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 7 . ▁During ▁the ▁l ull ▁in ▁conflict , ▁the ▁town ▁was ▁the ▁target ▁of ▁a ▁failed ▁opposition ▁attack ▁by ▁the ▁US - back ed ▁New ▁Sy rian ▁Army ▁in ▁June ▁ 2 0 1 6 ; ▁the ▁off ensive ▁last ed ▁only ▁a ▁day ▁and ▁led ▁to ▁a ▁total ▁revers al ▁of ▁New ▁Sy rian ▁Army ▁adv ances ▁to ▁Ab u ▁Kam al . ▁ ▁On ▁October ▁ 1 4 , ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁the ▁Sy rian ▁Arab ▁Army ▁took ▁the ▁city ▁of ▁May adin , ▁located ▁ 8 0 ▁kilom eters ▁from ▁Ab u ▁Kam al . ▁After ▁that ▁Ab u ▁Kam al ▁was ▁the ▁only ▁large ▁city ▁that ▁remained ▁under ▁I SI L ▁control . On ▁October ▁ 2