In Syria last month IS came under intense pressure from the US-led coalition, Kurdish forces, Syrian government troops and allies, the Iraqi army, and shelling from Turkey. The tide is turning against the brutal organisation, and its territorial control is shrinking. Pray for the cities recaptured from IS, asking God for righteous leaders. Pray also for an ultimate peace deal, particularly with the geo-political interests of countries like Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Russia. Meanwhile refugees continue to flee the five-year-old conflict, with no prospect of returning home in the near future. Pray for their safety, and for international solidarity to meet all their needs. Finally, the battle for Aleppo continues. Fifteen people were killed and dozens wounded in a series of airstrikes with three medical facilities hit in the space of three hours on Thursday. See: