Defeat looms as IS readies for its last stand in village
ISLAMIC State was on the brink of defeat yesterday as the last families were being evacuated from its final pocket of territory.
Hundreds of civilians, jihadi wives and their children were moved from the village of Baghouz in eastern Syria to safety – signalling the end of a stand-off which had lasted more than a week.
About 300 die-hard jihadists are believed to be making their last stand on a 0.2square-mile patch of land on the banks of the River Euphrates near the Iraqi border.
At the height of IS’s power in 201 , it had control of territory the size of the UK across Syria and Iraq. About eight million people lived under its rule.
UK intelligence agencies believe British jihadists and their wives are among those defending the territory to the death. Many of those left are understood to be badly hurt.
Kurdish commander Adnan Afrin said last night: ‘There are still some civilians inside. We cannot advance against this territory until they are safe.’
Several female fanatics from the UK, including Shamima Begum, from London, fled the caliphate as it faced destruction in recent weeks.
At least 17 trucks, carrying civilians and fighters under armed guard, left Baghouz yesterday along a corridor set up for humanitarian relief. We won’t take jihadi bride
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