Fierce clashes amid Us-backed forces’ final push to crush IS

Us-backed fighters in Syria have said they are encountering fierce resistance in the last enclave held by Islamic State terrorists near the Iraqi border.

The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said they had begun the “decisive battle” targeting the last remnants of IS in eastern Syria.

Up to 600 jihadists are thought to be defending their last stronghold, a small pocket in the eastern province of Deir al-zour.

An SDF field commander said yesterday: “There are heavy clashes at the moment. We have launched an assault and the fighters are advancing.”

The SDF has said it waited almost two weeks to fight to let thousands of civilians flee the area.

However, they say there could still be hundreds more people trapped inside the extremist group’s enclave.

Two years ago IS controlled large swathes of Syria and Iraq.

But they are now holed up in a tiny segment in Deir al-zour, near the Iraq border.

SDF spokesman Mustafa Bali said this was the “final battle to crush IS.

“The battle is very fierce. Those remaining inside are the most experienced who are defending their last stronghold.

“According to this, you can imagine the ferocity and size of the fighting.”

Mr Bali also tweeted “After saving more than 20,000 civilians from Is-held area and ensuring their safety in nearby camps, SDF started to move on to the last village remaining under jihadists’ control in north Syria. Village of Baghuz, which is the only remaining IS pocket, will be cleared soon.”

After rising to prominence in 2014, IS established a “caliphate” reaching across Syria and Iraq and ruled over more than 7.7 million people.

Major General Christopher Ghika, deputy commander of the anti-is coalition, said last week that the terrorists’ remaining territory amounted to “less than one per cent of the original caliphate”.

In December US President Donald Trump said IS militants were “mostly gone” and announced the US would withdraw all of its 2,000 troops from Syria.

The announcement attracted criticism from military officials, prompting the then defence secretary James Mattis and anti-is coalition envoy Brett Mcgurk to resign.

Last week Mr Trump said: “It should be announced, probably some time next week, that we will have 100 per cent of the caliphate.”

On Friday the Wall Street Journal reported that the withdrawal of the 2,000 US troops in Syria would take place by the end of April, citing US officials.

The SDF has refused to acknowledge any changes to forces involved in the current situation.