Syria's army Sunday (June 4th) seized a key town from the "Islamic State of Iraq and Syria" (ISIS) in the east of Aleppo, AFP reported, nearing its goal of expelling the extremists from the region.

The capture of Maskana, on the western bank of Lake Assad, comes as part of a major military operation that began in mid-January to drive the extremists from the province.

"Military units continue to advance in the east of Aleppo province and track down groups of ISIS terrorists," a military source cited by Syrian state media said.

"Security and stability has been restored to the strategic town of Maskana and a number of areas," the source added.

Maskana was a key target for the Syrian army, and lies around 15 kilometres from neighbouring al-Raqa province, where the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are expected to soon launch an assault on al-Raqa city.

Syria's army is not so far expected to play a role in that operation.

A military source told AFP the "Maskana area is the last important civilian population centre on the eastern border of Aleppo province before al-Raqa province".

"Whoever controls Maskana controls the axes running between Aleppo city and al-Raqa city," he added.

ISIS presence in the east of Aleppo province is now "at its end", he added.

The Syrian army has captured more than 200 towns and villages since it launched its operation in the east of the province, after retaking the provincial capital in December.

ISIS now holds just a handful of "scattered villages that can easily be captured in the east and south-east of Aleppo province, in desert areas", said Rami Abdel Rahman, director of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.