Isis face final assault in Syria as US-backed fighters close in on last remaining stronghold
'We expect it to be over soon,' SDF spokesperson says as jihadist group's followers flee
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Isis is facing its final territorial defeat, after Syrian forces supported by the US said they were closing in on the terrorist’s group’s last remaining stronghold.
A spokesperson for the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said the fierce battle being fought over the village of Baghouz in eastern Syria was likely to be over “soon”.
The SDF began a final assault to capture the enclave, which is near the Iraqi border, on Thursday.
If successful, their campaign will be a milestone in four years of fighting against a group which once controlled territory across a third of Syria and Iraq.
Thousands of Isis fighters and followers retreated to Baghouz as the group was gradually driven out of other regions.
In recent weeks around 40,000 people of various nationalities have fled the tiny cluster of villages and farmlands in Deir ez-Zor province.
The number of evacuees streaming out of Baghouz surpassed initial estimates of how many were inside.
Their evacuation delayed the final assault until Friday evening, when SDF forces said they had advanced and would not stop until the jihadists had been defeated.
“We expect it to be over soon,” Mustafa Bali, a spokesman for the SDF, said.
The SDF are advancing on two fronts using medium and heavy weaponry, and three of its fighters have been wounded so far, he added.
Additional reporting by agencies
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments