US-backed forces in Syria on Tuesday captured a large ISIS holdout in Baghouz, the Islamic State’s last enclave on Syrian territory. A spokesman with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) stated that “[t]his is not a victory announcement, but a significant progress in the fight,” because “[c]lashes are continuing as a group of ISIS terrorists who are confined into a tiny area still fight back.” In a separate statement, the SDF announced the capture of 157 “experienced terrorists”, most of whom were foreign nationals.
The SDF launched its final assault on the city over a week ago, but its troops were slowed down by various factors, including the presence of mines and other explosives that ISIS fighters had planted in the enclave, and the discovery of a vast network of tunnels used by Islamic State fighters to navigate across the town.
Read more: ISIS Camp In Baghouz Is Captured, As U.S. Allies Declare Progress In Syria
