It’s game over for Daesh In syrIa

We are dealing with this small pocket with caution. It is militarily fallen but civilians are used as human shields. The SDF believes Daesh are also holding previously kidnapped Syrians in the area

Mustafa Bali, SDF spokesman

baghouz (syria) — A US-backed force in Syria is closing in on Daesh militants in a tiny area less than a square kilometre in eastern Syria, and will soon declare the defeat of the militant group, a commander with the group said on Saturday.

The capture of the last pocket still held by Daesh fighters in the village of Baghouz would mark the end of a devastating four-year global campaign to end the extremist group’s hold on territory in Syria and Iraq — their so-called “caliphate” that at the height of the group’s power in 2014 controlled nearly a third of both Iraq and Syria.

“We will very soon bring good news to the whole world,” said Ciya Furat, a commander with the Kurdish-led force known as the Syrian Democratic Forces, speaking at a news conference at Al Omar Oil Field Base in the Deir El Zour province.

US President Donald Trump said the White House will make an announcement about Syria and the fight against Daesh by the end of Saturday.

“We have a lot of great announcements having to do with Syria and our success with the eradication of the caliphate and that will be announced over the next 24 hours,” Trump told journalists at the White House on Friday.

Furat, a SDF commander, said Daesh fighters are now besieged in an area that is about 700 square metres. He said that SDF fighters were able to liberate 10 of their colleagues that were held by Daesh. Furat’s comments were carried by Kurdish news agencies, including Hawar News.