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The coalition of Kurdish and Arab soldiers backed by US, British and French special forces claimed to have defeated the Islamic State and fully liberated Baghouz in eastern Syria.
"The Syrian Democratic Forces declare the total elimination of the so-called caliphate and the 100% territorial defeat of the Islamic State.On this unique day, we commemorate thousands of martyrs whose efforts have allowed the victory, "tweeted Mustafa Bali, head of the SDF press office.
After weeks of fighting, US-backed Syrian forces waved a yellow flag at the top of a city building as they celebrated victory over ISIS.
At its height, the Islamic State controlled a vast territory extending from western Syria to the outskirts of the Iraqi capital, Baghdad. But the final battle has taken place in recent weeks around the small Syrian town of Baghouz, otherwise unusual, on the banks of the Euphrates.
For weeks, airstrikes by the US-led coalition hit parts of the city, while Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighters advanced on the ground.
The final battle took place on a hill near Baghouz. On Saturday morning, inside what was the group's last enclave, there was only a junkyard of crumbling cars, ragged tents, ditches and corpses.
Before the start of the offensive, Israeli Defense Force officials estimated that there were 1,500 civilians and 500 ISIS fighters, but as the war started Assault, it became clear that the actual number was much higher. The final phase of the battle was delayed to allow thousands of additional civilians – as well as supporters from outside the Islamic State – to leave the besieged city.
Activists who set up the last stand in Baghouz included some of the most experienced and experienced staff members in the Islamic State, and the women and children of the fighters were used as human shields.
The SDF commanders told CNN that his fighters faced fierce resistance from the terrorist group, which slowed the offensive with snipers, improvised explosive devices and missiles in search of heat. The activists also dug a network of underground tunnels that allowed them to move from house to house without being detected.
According to the estimates of the Inherent Resolve Operation (CJTF-OIR), the official name of the coalition fighting ISIL, 7.7 million people would live under ISIL's regime. Many of these people paid taxes, fees and fines to ISIS, which accounted for a large portion of the group's income.
Despite the loss of territory and funds, a UN monitoring committee estimated in July 2018 that the number of members of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria was still between 20,000 and 30,000 .
Lina Khatib, Program Manager for the Middle East and North Africa at Chatham House, a UK-based think tank for international affairs, said that the Islamic State would recover its roots from Insurgents as he snuck into hiding. his network of supporters.
"The group itself has not been eradicated," Khatib told CNN. "The ideology of ISIS is still very prevalent."
Has the battle against ISIS really been won?
Joseph Votel, the US's highest general of the Middle East, warned: "(The caliphate) still has leaders, fighters, enablers, resources, so our military pressure is needed to continue after that network."
The report, the first of its kind since Trump announced its intention to withdraw all its troops from Syria, also indicates that "the Islamic State remains an insurgent group active in Iraq and Syria".
"ISIS regenerates key functions and capabilities faster in Iraq than in Syria, but in the absence of sustained [counterterrorism] According to the report, ISIS could resurface in Syria within six to twelve months and regain a limited territory. "
A little over a year after the Iraqi army proclaimed victory over the Islamic State group, militants are carrying out a new guerrilla campaign in the north of the country – launching targeted killings, looting villages, planting bombs Roadside "An Iraqi intelligence source told CNN.
In the vast desert lands near the Hamrin mountain range, locals remain at the mercy of the "gangs" of the Islamic State that rule the night. They know the area well after settling here under the name of Islamic State of Iraq and al-Qaeda in Iraq before.
"The risk of reappearance is very real.We must always think about what happened with al-Qaeda in Iraq a decade or so ago, when it was largely beaten. information, there were only about 700 members of the group, but a few years later we saw ISIS emerge, "Khatib said.
"We need a long-term strategy, a 10-year strategy … to prevent a favorable environment that can lead to their re-emergence."
Ben Wedeman, of CNN, is believed to have left eastern Syria. Lauren Said-Moorhouse wrote from London. Eliza Mackintosh and Arwa Damon contributed to this report.
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