British join in battle for last IS stronghold

BRITISH Special Forces are helping in the fight to seize Islamic State’s final pocket of territory in northern Syria.

They are preparing to enter the village of Baghouz alongside Kurdish militia and US troops.

A Kurdish commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces warned any remaining fighters from the UK should surrender or be killed. Adnan Afrin said: ‘What we want to tell them is the caliphate is only a dream.’

He said British ground forces had fought alongside the Syrians from the start – along with the RAF’s air strikes.

He added: ‘From the beginning of the coalition in Syria, the British Army were helping and giving support and always they were doing it successfully.

‘There is a strong coordination between the SDF and British forces.’

Some 900 British citizens went to join Islamic State’s so-called ‘caliphate’, and many remain unaccounted for.

British intelligence believes some of the most battle-hardened UK fighters remain in Baghouz

Mr Afrin said ‘most of the famous leaders in Isis are inside’.