Islamic State’s disappearing ‘caliphate’
- 5 years ago
The Islamic State’s “caliphate” is described as being on the brink of defeat after its fighters were pushed to a small neighbourhood of the village of Baghouz in eastern Syria. A commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces said he estimated the remaining IS stronghold was in an area of less than 50 hectares (120 acres).
Operations against the jihadist group have been slowed down to protect the civilians trapped inside the small IS-held territory, the commander said.
US President Donald Trump recently tweeted that “the caliphate is ready to fall”, two months after an earlier claim that IS was defeated and the US would withdraw all 2,000 of its troops in Syria.
Islamic State declared a “caliphate” in the region in 2014 and went on to control of a UK-sized area of Syria and Iraq that was home to millions of people.
While the size of IS territory has been reduced to a small area following raids by the US and its allies, US defence officials warn that IS remains a powerful force and its "enduring defeat" is not yet assured.
Operations against the jihadist group have been slowed down to protect the civilians trapped inside the small IS-held territory, the commander said.
US President Donald Trump recently tweeted that “the caliphate is ready to fall”, two months after an earlier claim that IS was defeated and the US would withdraw all 2,000 of its troops in Syria.
Islamic State declared a “caliphate” in the region in 2014 and went on to control of a UK-sized area of Syria and Iraq that was home to millions of people.
While the size of IS territory has been reduced to a small area following raids by the US and its allies, US defence officials warn that IS remains a powerful force and its "enduring defeat" is not yet assured.