The final assault against Islamic State in eastern Syria kicked off on Saturday and the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces aims to wipe out the jihadist group’s caliphate completely.
President Trump said earlier this week an announcement could be made by next week that US-led coalition operating in support of the SDF has regained completely the lost territory from the jihadist group.
The last controlled enclave by ISIS is near to the Iraqi border and it compromises just two Syrian villages.
According to SDF official Mustafa Bali this is their last battle against ISIS in their territory.
He later tweeted attacks against the ISIS have started and soon the territory will be clear of jihadists.
Bali added that in past ten days at least 20,000 people were evacuated from the enclave.
Senior SDF official Redur Xelil said even though the enclave would be cleared by February-end, but the threats of ISIS to continue even beyond it.
The ISIS declared caliphate across large areas of Syria and Iraq in 2014, but by 2017 they lost two main locations – Raqqa in Syria and Mosul in Iraq.
Meanwhile, US security sources said ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is believed to be still alive and he may have been hiding in Iraq.
Paul Linus
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