ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – The fight to evict ISIS from the Middle Euphrates River Valley has brought Russian and Iranian-backed forces within 10 kilometers of US-led coalition forces near al-Boukamal and Baghuz.
"Make no mistake: a lot of fighting remains to defeat remaining pockets of ISIS," the coalition’s public affairs office told Rudaw English.
The coalition and partnered forces will continue their advances towards the Iraq-Syria border area where Syrian regime forces have taken from ISIS the last city the group had held.
Militias loyal to the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad are in control of al-Boukamal in eastern Deir ez-Zor province.
A UK-based conflict monitor, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, reported on Thursday that ISIS militants had evacuated al-Boukamal – just a day after it was besieged.
Syrian Arab Army spokesperson Gen. Ali Mayoub confirmed "the liberation of al-Boukamal" in a televised statement.
The Observatory said the forces involved in taking the city included fighters from al-Nujaba – a Shiite Iraqi militia with ties to Hezbollah who have fought in Iraq and Syria throughout the ISIS war.
Partnered forces of the US-led coalition were moving toward Baghuz on the northeastern side of the Euphrates River. The town is about 10 kilometers from al-Boukamal. The coalition has backed an alliance of local armed groups that comprise the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
The current operations by forces loyal to Assad around al-Boukamal "do not affect the SDF's movements toward Baghuz," according to the coalition.
The coalition did acknowledge "complex challenges posed by multiple forces in the region," but maintained that deconflicting "air and ground operations with the Russians" continues.
The SDF and regime forces conflicted briefly in oil rich Deir ez-Zor province in September.
Between 2,500 and 3,500 ISIS fighters are estimated by the coalition to remain in Syria. ISIS has lost more than 96 percent of the territory it once held in Iraq and Syria.
"Make no mistake: a lot of fighting remains to defeat remaining pockets of ISIS," the coalition’s public affairs office told Rudaw English.
The coalition and partnered forces will continue their advances towards the Iraq-Syria border area where Syrian regime forces have taken from ISIS the last city the group had held.
Militias loyal to the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad are in control of al-Boukamal in eastern Deir ez-Zor province.
A UK-based conflict monitor, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, reported on Thursday that ISIS militants had evacuated al-Boukamal – just a day after it was besieged.
Syrian Arab Army spokesperson Gen. Ali Mayoub confirmed "the liberation of al-Boukamal" in a televised statement.
The Observatory said the forces involved in taking the city included fighters from al-Nujaba – a Shiite Iraqi militia with ties to Hezbollah who have fought in Iraq and Syria throughout the ISIS war.
Partnered forces of the US-led coalition were moving toward Baghuz on the northeastern side of the Euphrates River. The town is about 10 kilometers from al-Boukamal. The coalition has backed an alliance of local armed groups that comprise the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
The current operations by forces loyal to Assad around al-Boukamal "do not affect the SDF's movements toward Baghuz," according to the coalition.
The coalition did acknowledge "complex challenges posed by multiple forces in the region," but maintained that deconflicting "air and ground operations with the Russians" continues.
The SDF and regime forces conflicted briefly in oil rich Deir ez-Zor province in September.
Between 2,500 and 3,500 ISIS fighters are estimated by the coalition to remain in Syria. ISIS has lost more than 96 percent of the territory it once held in Iraq and Syria.
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