SDF fight to retake final ISIS holdout in Syria’s Baghouz – reports

20-02-2019

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are fighting to retake the village of Baghouz in Syria’s Deir ez-Zor, which would liberate the final stretch of territory controlled by the Islamic State jihadist group.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that the SDF reached a deal with ISIS in Baghouz.

Earlier, AFP saw 15 trucks leaving the village thought to be carrying women and children. Rudaw reporters in Syria confirmed the convoy carried 1,500 civilians to camps.

Trucks carry thousands of Syrians out of al-Baghouz and to camps elsewhere in the country on February 20, 2019. Video: Rudaw

However some fighting continues. Adnan Afrin, a SDF spokesperson told AFP "there are sporadic and limited clashes on some axes".

Although ISIS-linked cells remain at large across Iraq and Syria, their defeat in Baghouz marks a significant moment in the war which began in 2014 and devastated the region.

At a funeral for a slain SDF fighter in Hasaka on Wednesdady, a YPG spokesperson Shiyar Hasakah said they would soon announce the end of the Jazira Storm campaign.

"Thanks to these martyrs we have reached this stage and we will announce the end of the Jazeera Storm campaign very soon and IS defeat," said Hasaka, according to Hawar News agency.

The US operation tweeted it can't confirm if ISIS fighters are surrendering, but "the most hardened ISIS fighters still remain in Baghuz."

We are aware of open source reports of ISIS fighters reportedly surrendering in the MERV. We cannot independently verify these reports. However, the SDF continue to receive civilians attempting to escape to safety and the most hardened ISIS fighters still remain in Baghuz.
— Inherent Resolve (@CJTFOIR) February 20, 2019

An announcement of the military defeat of ISIS by the SDF would confirm the extremists' demise in Syria east of the Euphrates.

Locals are anxiously awaiting a future free of ISIS where the self-governing TEV-DEM in Rojava find a solution with Damascus and end militarization in their cities.

Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi said his government is monitoring the border and the situation closely and they have sent reinforcements to Anbar.

This is a developing story… Update: 5:56 p.m.