U.S.-backed Syrian force launches 'final battle' against IS

[rooster59]

U.S.-backed Syrian force launches 'final battle' against IS

By Rodi Said

 

FILE PHOTO: Fighters of Syrian Democratic Forces ride on trucks as their convoy passes in Ain Issa, Syria October 16, 2017. REUTERS/Erik De Castro/File Photo

 

QAMISHLI, Syria (Reuters) - The U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) began an assault against the final Islamic State enclave in eastern Syria on Saturday, aiming to wipe out the last vestige of the jihadist group's "caliphate" in the SDF's area of operations.

 

President Donald Trump, who is planning to pull U.S. forces out of Syria, said on Wednesday he expected an announcement as early as next week that the U.S.-led coalition operating in support of the SDF had reclaimed all the territory previously held by the jihadist group.

 

The enclave is close to the Iraqi border and comprises two villages, though Islamic State (IS) also still has territory in the part of Syria that is mostly under the control of the Russian- and Iranian-backed Syrian government.

 

SDF official Mustafa Bali, speaking to Reuters, described the assault as "the last battle". He later wrote on Twitter that the attack had started and the enclave would "be cleared soon".

 

The SDF had handled the last 10 days "patiently" as more than 20,000 civilians were evacuated from the besieged IS enclave, Bali said.

 

Senior SDF official Redur Xelil told Reuters the force hoped to capture the area by the end of February, but cautioned that IS would continue to pose "great and serious" security threats even after that.

 

Islamic State redrew the map of the Middle East in 2014 when it declared a caliphate across large areas of Syria and Iraq. But the group steadily lost ground and its two main prizes - the Syrian city of Raqqa and Iraq's Mosul - fell in 2017.

 

SDF ADVANCE

 

Two U.S. security sources said the U.S. government’s top experts strongly believe IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is still alive and possibly hiding in Iraq.

 

Spearheaded by the Kurdish YPG militia, the SDF has been the main U.S. partner in Syria and has driven Islamic State out of a swathe of the north and east over the last four years.

 

After capturing Raqqa, the SDF advanced southwards into Deir al-Zor province, attacking the jihadists in territory on the eastern bank of the Euphrates River.

 

The remaining Islamic State territory in Syria is west of the Euphrates.

 

Trump said in December he was pulling all 2,000 U.S. troops out of Syria, saying the battle against Islamic State there was almost won.

 

But a top U.S. general said on Tuesday the group would pose an enduring threat following the U.S. withdrawal, as it retained leaders, fighters, facilitators and resources that would fuel a menacing insurgency.

 

The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that the U.S. military was preparing to withdraw from Syria by the end of April.

 

A U.S. official confirmed that target date to Reuters, saying the withdrawal included a pull-out from the U.S. military base at Tanf, near the Syrian border with Iraq and Jordan.

 

The U.S.-led coalition has said it is not discussing the timeline of the U.S. withdrawal from Syria.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-02-10

[YetAnother]

7 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

but cautioned that IS would continue to pose "great and serious" security threats even after that.

then this 'final battle' is not the victory the verbiage suggests; does anyone think that IS,ISIS,ISIL will just go away ?

[neeray]

25 minutes ago, YetAnother said:

then this 'final battle' is not the victory the verbiage suggests; does anyone think that IS,ISIS,ISIL will just go away ?

No.

Definitely not !

[Lungstib]

56 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

the U.S.-led coalition operating in support of the SDF had reclaimed all the territory previously held by the jihadist group.

And there you have it, the territory, land-dirt-rubble-buildings-roads, has been conquered and is no longer in opposition to US forces. Meanwhile the people, who still survive, think as they always have, choose the religion and politics that pleases them, will ensure their children follow in the path laid down for them and will regroup when the army departs. Syrians will be left to survive in the rubble, scratch a living and ponder on the destruction of their country. And those backward steps cost billions of $'s to U.S. citizens who would far rather it was spent on better schools for their kids. 

[Ulic]

Truth said, the middle east would be much more stable and prosperous with Quadaffi, Husein, Assad, Mubarak, etc..The west should stay completely out of Middle East politics. The road to ruin is paved with good intentions. The West's push for regime change through war and promotion of the Arab spring has been an unmitigated disaster. The west forgets, the devil you know is often better than the devil you don't. Nothing to do with this but Democrats should be made aware. Trump or Pence, I'll take trump every time.

[scorecard]

8 hours ago, YetAnother said:

then this 'final battle' is not the victory the verbiage suggests; does anyone think that IS,ISIS,ISIL will just go away ?

NO!!!

[Stargeezr]

ISIL is also still in Libya or so I last heard, how about that bunch. They are like a cancer, so have to hit them where ever they still have fighters and leaders or the game is far from over.. If this group of uglies get totally gone, there is still taliban and other terror groups that should be on the exterminate list. Just my thoughts.

Geezer

[simple1]

On 2/11/2019 at 1:17 AM, Stargrazer9889 said:

ISIL is also still in Libya or so I last heard, how about that bunch. They are like a cancer, so have to hit them where ever they still have fighters and leaders or the game is far from over.. If this group of uglies get totally gone, there is still taliban and other terror groups that should be on the exterminate list. Just my thoughts.

Geezer

ISIS have an ever strengthening presence in Afghanistan. Likely US and Afghans will eventually reach an accord with the Taliban, with the Tabilban increasing their efforts to eliminate ISIS. 

[TopDeadSenter]

6 minutes ago, simple1 said:

ISIS have an ever strengthening presence in Afghanistan.

Yes good point. Also we must not forget their strengthening presence throughout Western European nations and Canada too. Thousands of returning fighters don't help matters and supplement the supporters. The final battle against ISIS will be taking place through the Stockholm, Paris and Birmingham streets, not out in the Mid East.