The US-allied Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on Saturday declared victory against the "Islamic State" (IS), saying they had flushed the jihadists from their last remaining stronghold in the eastern Syrian village of Baghouz.

The announcement marks the end of the terror group's self-proclaimed caliphate, which at its height in 2014 covered large swathes of Syria and Iraq.

Read more: 'Islamic State' loses significant camp in final holdout territory Baghouz

Victory in Baghouz

SDF spokesman Mustafa Bali announced the victory on Twitter:

"Baghouz has been liberated. The military victory against Daesh has been accomplished," he said, referring to IS by its acronym in Arabic.

The SDF declares "total elimination" of the so-called caliphate and "100 percent territorial defeat of ISIS."

"On this unique day, we commemorate thousands of martyrs whose efforts made the victory possible."

Read more: Opinion: 'Islamic State' may fall, but will not vanish

Celebration and caution

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas praised the international anti-IS coalition and "courageous local partners" for defeating the jihadist group, but said IS remained an "underground threat."

Prime Minister Theresa May said IS' defeat marked "a historic milestone."

French President Emmanuel Macron said France was safer, but warned that "the fight against terrorist groups must continue."

US President Donald Trump hailed the end of the IS caliphate, but promised that the US would remain "vigilant" in fighting the group.

German troops trained local fighters as part of the anti-IS coalition

Read more: As IS crumbles, Syrian Kurds want Germany to take back foreign fighters

IS still a threat: Despite the loss of territory, IS is still seen as a major security threat, with offshoots in Nigeria, Afghanistan and Yemen, and supporters in Western countries willing to carry out attacks.

Rise and fall: The militants captured Iraq's Fallujah and Mosul and Syria's Raqqa during a lightning advance in 2014. In 2017, they suffered major defeats and were driven to Baghouz.

Where did IS come from? IS began as a faction within al-Qaida in Iraq but split off after the Syrian civil war broke out in 2011.

Read more: Nadia Murad: One woman's fight against Islamic State

Brutal caliphate: IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi declared the caliphate in June 2014. At its height, the group imposed its brutal interpretation of Islamic law on millions of people.

When did the battle begin? SDF forces launched an attack on Baghouz in early March. In recent weeks, tens of thousands of civilians and surrendering fighters fled to escape US-led airstrikes.

What is the SDF? It's a coalition of armed Kurdish groups allied with the US. They captured much of the Syrian territory once held by the extremists, including Raqqa.

Read more: Syria's SDF launches endgame battle against 'Islamic State'

What is the 'Islamic State'? Where did it come from? The "Islamic State" (IS) — also known as ISIL, ISIS and Daesh — is an al-Qaida splinter group with a militant Sunni Islamist ideology. It emerged in the aftermath of the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 and is led by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Their goal is to create a worldwide "caliphate." It gained worldwide notoriety in 2014 after a blitzkrieg military campaign that resulted in the capture of Mosul.

What is the 'Islamic State'? Where does it operate? IS is believed to be operational in more than a dozen countries across the world. It controls territories in Iraq and Syria. However, the group has lost much of the territory it controlled in Iraq and Syria at the height of its expansion in 2014.

What is the 'Islamic State'? Who is fighting back? The US leads an international coalition of more than 50 countries, including several Arab nations. Russia, Iran and its Lebanese Shiite ally Hezbollah, which all support the Syrian government, also fight IS. Regional forces such as the Kurdish peshmerga (above) and US-backed Syrian Kurdish fighters, fight IS on the ground. The Iraqi army and militia have pushed IS from large parts of the country.

What is the 'Islamic State'? How does it fund itself? One of IS' main sources of income has been oil and gas. At one point, it controlled an estimated one-third of Syria's oil production. However, US-led airstrikes deliberately targeted oil resources and the Syrian government as well as US-backed Syrian Kurdish fighters have retaken most oil wells. Other means of income include taxes, ransom, selling looted antiquities and extortion.

What is the 'Islamic State'? Where does it carry out attacks? IS has claimed responsibility for numerous terrorist attacks across the globe. The militant group has targeted capitals across the EU, including Berlin, Brussels and Paris. IS leaders have encouraged so-called "lone wolf" attacks, whereby individuals who support IS carry out terrorist acts without the direct involvement of the group.

What is the 'Islamic State'? What other tactics does it use? The group uses various tactics to expand its power. IS fighters have looted and destroyed historical artifacts in Syria and Iraq in an attempt at "cultural cleansing." The group has also enslaved thousands of women from religious minority groups, including Yazidis. IS also uses a sophisticated social network to distribute propaganda and recruit sympathizers.

What is the 'Islamic State'? How has it impacted the region? IS has further exacerbated the ongoing Syrian conflict. Millions of Syrians and Iraqis have fled their homes, many traveling to Europe in pursuit of refuge. Although it has lost all of its strongholds, the militant group has left extraordinary destruction in its wake. Areas affected by the militant group's rule will likely take years to rebuild. Author: Rachel Stewart



nm/amp (AFP, dpa, Reuters, AP)</s>The US Defense Department said on Friday that the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL or ISIS) no longer holds any territory in Syria, according to a White House spokeswoman.

US Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan briefed President Donald Trump as he was travelling to Florida on Air Force One, spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said.

She said that the "territorial caliphate has been eliminated in Syria". Responding to a question regarding whether the armed group's territory had be "100 percent" eliminated, Sanders said "yes".

She directed other questions regarding the announcement to the Pentagon.

The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) has not commented on the White House's announcement.

Earlier on Friday, the SDF said it had captured most of ISIL's last enclave in Baghouz, but there were still pockets of ISIL fighters.

The SDF has been battling for weeks to defeat ISIL in Baghouz in southeastern Syria at the Iraqi border. It was all that remained of the territory the armed group ruled, which once spanned a third of Syria and Iraq.

A Reuters journalist in Baghouz heard air strikes there on Friday afternoon and saw smoke rising.

Al Jazeera's Alan Fisher, reporting from Washington, DC, said that difficulty, however, is that "ISIL hasn't gone away and everyone knows that".

"Trump will undoubtedly get the victory that he wanted ... but the group hasn't gone away," Fisher said.

Shortly after Sanders made the comments to reporters, Trump tweeted, "ISIS uses the internet better than almost anyone, but for all of those susceptible to ISIS propaganda, they are now being beaten badly at every level."

Trump had been teasing Friday's announcement for days. On Wednesday, he said the group would be "gone by tonight", showing reporters two maps that he claimed to show the reduction of ISIL's territory since he was elected president in 2016.

In December, Trump unexpectedly announced that he was pulling all 2,000 American troops out of Syria, declaring that ISIL had been defeated.

He walked back on that announcement, however, as military generals and politicians expressed fear that such a move would allow the group to re-emerge. He was then persuaded to leave about 400 troops in Syria.</s>US-backed fighters in Syria’s east have declared their final victory over ISIL, ending a four-year battle against the group that once held territory spanning a third of Syria and Iraq.

An official of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announced the defeat of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, or ISIS) group via Twitter on Saturday.

On Friday, Mustafa Bali, the head of the SDF media office said on Twitter that heavy fighting continued around Baghouz to “finish off whatever remains of ISIS”.

The US Defense Department said on Friday that ISIL no longer held any territory in Syria, according to a White House spokeswoman.

US Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan briefed President Donald Trump as he was travelling to Florida on Air Force One, spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said.

She said that the “territorial caliphate has been eliminated in Syria”. Responding to a question regarding whether the armed group’s territory had been “100 percent” eliminated, Sanders said “Yes.”

The SDF has been battling for weeks to defeat ISIL in Baghouz in southeastern Syria at the Iraqi border.

It was all that remained of the territory the armed group ruled.

Rise and fall of ISIL

 ISIL began as an offshoot of al-Qaeda in Iraq, which in 2006 became known as the Islamic State of Iraq (ISI). The movement, led by key al-Qaeda figures, played a major role in driving the sectarian conflict that followed the US invasion in 2003.

ISI carried out deadly attacks in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, during this period, targeting Western-allied tribal leaders and US army posts before eventually being pushed out.

Undeterred, it soon pitched up in Mosul, Iraq’s second-largest city, which it then used as a hub to continue its attacks.

In 2010, the group’s current leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was named ISI chief. Two years later, he mandated ISI affiliates to set up an offshoot in Syria – a country that had been forced to contend with its own civil war.

Members of that offshoot, first known as Jabhat al-Nusra, were then integrated into ISIL after a number of defections.

ISIL quickly began to establish its presence over drained, vulnerable, war-torn areas in Syria and Iraq, making it easy for the group to gain both influence and military power.

Meanwhile in Raqqa, ISIL worked on weakening the Free Syrian Army (FSA), which opposed forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. It eventually ejected the two largest FSA factions at the start of 2014.</s>Syrian Democratic Forces have now raised their flag in Baghouz in eastern Syria

US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces say they have "totally eliminated" Islamic State in Syria.

The SDF made the announcement as it declared the battle against the insurgents in the final IS stronghold of Baghouz in the east of the country was over.

It has been battling the last IS remnants in the border town near Iraq for weeks as the jihadists have been using civilians as human shields.

The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces have now claimed "all territory in Syria is now clear of IS fighters".

SDF spokesman Mustafa Bali tweeted: "Syrian Democratic Forces declare total elimination of so-called caliphate and 100% territorial defeat of ISIS.

"On this unique day, we commemorate thousands of martyrs whose efforts made the victory possible." #SDFDefeatedISIS.

Thousands of civilians, including families of IS fighters, have been fleeing Baghouz in recent weeks amid intense fighting, and are now being held in camps.

At its height, the militant group's caliphate, which it declared in 2014, stretched across a third of Syria and Iraq.

However, despite the SDF's victory, IS insurgents still remain a threat.

Some are hiding out in Syria's remote central desert, and in Iraqi cities they have gone underground, carrying out shootings and kidnappings.

The US believes the group's leader Abu Bakr al Baghdadi, who declared the caliphate five years ago in Mosul, is in Iraq.

On Friday, President Donald Trump said IS insurgents no longer controlled any territory in Syria, though the US was still launching airstrikes and sporadic fighting continued on the ground.

"It's about time," Mr Trump told reporters, as he held up maps indicating the large territory once held by IS had shrunk to nothing.

"Here's ISIS on election day," he said, pointing to a swathe of red showing the areas the insurgent group controlled when he became president.

He then pointed to a version without any red, and said "here's ISIS right now", as he linked SDF gains to his time in power.</s>British forces will not scale-back their presence in Syria and Iraq following the capture of the last remaining territory held by the so-called Islamic State.

Major General Chris Ghika, Deputy Commander of the Global Coalition’s joint task force, said the terror organisation is by no means “leaderless or rudderless”, despite its loss of physical territory.

But he said he could not predict whether the fall of the physical territory would substantially increase or decrease the terror risk to the UK.

The capture of Baghouz is a milestone in the four-year campaign to defeat the group’s so-called “caliphate” that once covered a vast territory straddling both Syria and Iraq.

It was announced on Saturday by Mustafa Bali, from the Syrian Democratic Forces, who tweeted: “Syrian Democratic Forces declare total elimination of so-called caliphate and %100 territorial defeat of Isis.

“On this unique day, we commemorate thousands of martyrs whose efforts made the victory possible. #SDFDefeatedISIS”

The US withdrawal is already underway, with its main ally, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces warning that leaving too soon could have dangerous repercussions and a destabilising effect on the region.

Maj Gen Ghika told reporters at a Ministry of Defence briefing ahead of Baghouz’s fall: “There are no plans to scale down the contribution to Operation Shader.”

He added: “The US have said they are going to keep a presence in northern Syria so air power will play an important part in that, and we expect the British contribution to keep going on that side.

“In Iraq exactly the same maxim applies, the British troops that are training the Iraqi security forces are going to stay and keep doing what they are doing… because Isis continues to present a threat and that threat is met largely by the Iraqi security forces.”

Maj Gen Ghika said the coalition must remain “very conscious” about the continued threat of IS and warned against allowing Syria to become a “safe haven” for the ideology.

He continued: “They are not leaderless or rudderless. One of the reasons why even after the end of the physical caliphate Isis will remain a dangerous organisation is because there are members of the organisation willing to take on the struggle.

“They are less experienced, they are less capable…than the people of years ago… so the organisation is weaker but there are still people willing to take on the leadership function…and that is one of the things that we target.”

Maj Gen Ghika estimated there were a few hundred IS fighters in eastern Syria, and between 1-2,000 in Iraq.

The SDF is holding more than 1,000 foreign suspected fighters in prisons that it runs in northern Syria.

The military commander said it was a “sovereign national decision” for countries on whether take back citizens who joined IS.

He said the British Government must decide whether British forces will have a role in repatriating citizens, including children of fighters.

Asked if the threat to the UK would be removed by keeping fighters imprisoned, he said: “I don’t think it removes it, but I think it reduces the threat of people of British origin who have fought with IS returning to the UK to conduct terrorist attacks”.

Maj Gen Ghika was also asked about whether the MoD will attempt to gather evidence from the battlefield once fighting is over which could be used to prosecute British fighters.

He said: “I think that’s too early to say whether that’s going to be possible but I think if we found any individual of any nation and we were able to link them to crimes and with evidence we have then we would expect them to be prosecuted under the force of the law.”</s>Leaders from a number of countries are reacting to the announcement by US-backed forces that they have captured the last enclave held by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL or ISIS) in Syria, eliminating the group's so-called caliphate.

After weeks of heavy fighting and aerial bombardment, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on Saturday declared victory over ISIL, saying they had flushed the group's fighters from their last remaining stronghold in the eastern town of Baghouz, on the banks of the Euphrates River.

"We announce today the destruction of the so-called Islamic State organisation and the end of its ground control in its last pocket in Baghouz," Mazloum Abdi, SDF general commander, told a victory ceremony.

The SDF has been Washington's partner on the ground in Syria, spearheading the fight against ISIL for the past five years.

The announcement marked the end of a brutal self-styled caliphate that ISIL - originally an offshoot of al-Qaeda - carved out in large parts of Iraq and Syria in 2014.

Yet the capture of Baghouz will likely not mark the end of ISIL as a force in the region, according to analysts.

Here's the initial regional and international reaction to the news of the fall of ISIL's last bastion.

The top military commander of the SDF urged the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to choose the path of dialogue after ISIL's military defeat, as he announced a "new phase" in the conflict.

"We call on the central government in Damascus to prefer the process of dialogue," Mazloum Kobane said in a statement.

He also called on Damascus to "start practical steps to reach a political solution based on the recognition" of autonomous institutions and of the SDF's special status.

Commenting on the battle against ISIL, he said that a "new phase in the fight against terrorists" is beginning, adding that the target was now to eliminate the group's "sleeper cells".

An envoy for the US-led coalition fighting ISIL hailed the demise of ISIL as a "critical milestone".

"We congratulate the Syrian people and particularly the Syrian Democratic Forces on the destruction of ISIS's fraudulent caliphate," said William Roebuck.

"While we have completed the territorial defeat of ISIS in Syria and Iraq, we still have much work to do to achieve an enduring defeat of ISIS ... ISIS remains a significant threat in the region, (to) the United States and our partners and allies," he added.

His remarks came a day after President Donald Trump declared that ISIL fighters were no longer in control of any territory in Syria.

"Here's ISIS on Election Day," he said, linking coalition gains since then to his presidency. He pointed to a swath of red signifying the group's previous territorial hold, and then to one without any red: "Here's ISIS right now."

President Emmanuel Macron said a source of potential violence had been "eliminated" but warned that "the threat remains and the fight against terrorist groups must continue".

"Syrian Democratic Forces have announced that Daesh's last stronghold has fallen. I pay homage to our partners and to the armies of the international coalition, of which France is part," Macron said on Twitter.

"They fought the terrorists with determination for our security."

Prime Minister Theresa May called the bastion's fall "a historic milestone" in the fight against ISIL, and said the British government remained "committed to eradicating their poisonous ideology".

"The liberation of the last Daesh-held territory wouldn't have been possible without the immense courage of UK military and our allies," she said on Twitter, using the group's acronym in Arabic.

"We will continue to do what is necessary to protect the British people, our Allies and partners from the threat Daesh poses."

Britain said its armed forces had nearly 1,400 personnel in the region providing support to local forces in addition to numerous air attacks carried out by the Royal Air Force.

Foreign Minister Heiko Maas described the end of the caliphate as "an important step".

He warned, however, that it was "clear" that ISIL "continues to represent a considerable threat".

"We shall not underestimate that threat," he said.</s>US-backed forces in Syria have announced the liberation of the last area held by Islamic State in the eastern Syrian village of Baghuz, declaring victory over the extremist group and the end of its self-declared Islamic caliphate.

“Baghuz is free and the military victory against Daesh has been achieved,” tweeted Mustafa Bali, a spokesman for the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, referring to the group by its Arabic acronym.

Elimination of the last Isis stronghold in Baghuz marks the end of the militants’ self-declared caliphate, which at its height blanketed large parts of Syria and Iraq. The campaign to take back the territory by the US and its partners has spanned five years and two US presidencies, unleashed more than 100,000 bombs and killed untold numbers of fighters and civilians.

But the weekend announcement, in a tweet, was anti-climactic, and on the ground sporadic gunfire continued. A day earlier President Donald Trump had declared Islamic State militants no longer controlled any territory in Syria.

Associated Press journalists in Baghuz on Saturday reported hearing mortars and gunfire directed toward a cliff overlooking Baghuz, where US-led coalition airstrikes were carried out a day earlier. SDF spokesman Kino Gabriel said on Friday that there were still Isis fighters hiding in caves near Baghuz and clearing operations were still under way.

At its height the Islamic State group ruled a third of both Syria and Iraq, holding millions of people hostage to its harsh and violent interpretation of Islamic law. The group carried out large-scale massacres and documented them with videos circulated online. During a rampage through Iraq’s Sinjar region in 2014 it captured thousands of women and girls from the Yazidi religious minority and forced them into sexual slavery. Many are still missing.

The group also used its caliphate as a launchpad for attacks around the globe, including the assaults in Paris in 2015 that killed more than 130 people.

While it imposed an unforgiving version of Islamic law through public beheadings and crucifixions, the group also attempted the mundane duties of governance in its territories, including regulating prices at markets and building infrastructure.

Isis no longer controls any territory in Syria or Iraq but continues to carry out insurgent attacks in both countries. It maintains affiliates in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, Afghanistan and elsewhere.</s>Kurdish-led forces celebrate the end of the Islamic State group's nearly five-year-long "caliphate" after defeating the last jihadists holed up in eastern Syria.

The Syrian Democratic Forces said they had taken full control of Baghuz, a small village on the Euphrates.</s>Final IS bastion in Syria has fallen, claim White House, Syrian Democratic Forces

Washington, March 23: In a major announcement, the White House has said that all territories held by the Islamic State (IS) in Syria have been eliminated. US President Donald Trump also called the extremist group "losers and barely breathing".

"Just over two years ago, ISIS was considered one of the gravest threats to the future of the Middle East-and to the peace and security of the free world. Now, the self-declared caliphate has been obliterated off the map. Literally," the White House said in a tweet on Friday, March 22.

Meanwhile, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) also announced on Saturday, March 23, that the IS has lost its final stronghold in the war-ravaged nation, and that brought to an end the so-called caliphate declared by the outfit five years ago. The SDF also claimed to have fully liberated the town of Baghouz in Syria's eastern part.

"Syrian Democratic Forces declare total elimination of so-called caliphate and 100% territorial defeat of ISIS. On this unique day, we commemorate thousands of martyrs whose efforts made the victory possible," tweeted Mustafa Bali, head of the SDF press office.

The IS had controlled huge chunks of territory stretching from western Syria to the outskirts of Baghdad, the capital of Iraq. The IS was on the retreat in Iraq and the final battle took place over the past many weeks around Baghouz on the banks of the Euphrates River.

A coalition of Kurdish and Arab soldiers backed by the US-led western forces launched the final assault on the IS stronghold early last month.</s>(CNN) — ISIS has lost its final stronghold in Syria, the Syrian Democratic Forces announced Saturday, bringing an end to the so-called caliphate declared by the terrorist group in 2014.

The Syrian Democratic Forces said it defeated ISIS and fully liberated Baghouz in eastern Syria.

“Syrian Democratic Forces declare total elimination of so-called caliphate and 100% territorial defeat of ISIS. On this unique day, we commemorate thousands of martyrs whose efforts made the victory possible,” tweeted Mustafa Bali, head of the SDF press office.

At its peak, ISIS controlled a huge stretch of territory stretching from western Syria to the outskirts of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad. But the final battle took place in the past several weeks around the small and otherwise unremarkable Syrian town of Baghouz, on the banks of the Euphrates River.

A coalition of Kurdish and Arab soldiers backed by US, British and French special forces launched the last assault on the ISIS enclave in early February.

For weeks, US-led coalition airstrikes had pummeled parts of the town while fighters from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) pushed forward on the ground.

Before the offensive started, SDF officials estimated that 1,500 civilians and 500 ISIS fighters remained, but as the assault got under way it became clear that the actual number was much higher. The final phase of the battle was delayed to allow thousands more civilians — along with foreign ISIS supporters — out of of the besieged town.

The militants who mounted the last stand in Baghouz included some of the most battle-hardened and experienced personnel remaining in ISIS, and the wives and children of the fighters were used as human shields.

SDF commanders told CNN that its fighters had faced fierce resistance from the terror group, which slowed the offensive with snipers, improvised explosive devices improvised and heat-seeking missiles. The militants had also dug a network of underground tunnels that allowed them to move from house to house undetected.

The capture of Baghouz comes nearly three months after US President Donald Trump surprised America’s allies — not least SDF forces on the ground — by declaring that ISIS had been defeated in Syria and announcing that US troops would be rapidly withdrawn from the country. The decision triggered the resignations of Defense Secretary James Mattis and the senior State Department official in charge of the anti-ISIS campaign.

The developments also come more than four years after the group’s elusive leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, announced the creation of a caliphate from the pulpit of the al-Nuri mosque in the Iraqi city of Mosul.

At the group’s height, 7.7 million people were estimated to live under ISIS rule, according to Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR), the official name for the coalition fighting ISIS. Many of those people paid taxes, fees and fines to ISIS, which made up a large portion of the group’s income.

In the years since, the group’s annual revenue more than halved: from up to $1.9 billion in 2014 to a maximum of $870 million in 2016, according to a recent report by the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation and Political Violence (ICSR) at King’s College London.

Despite the loss of territory, and funds, a UN-monitoring committee estimated in July 2018 that ISIS membership in Iraq and Syria was still between 20,000 and 30,000.

Altogether, at least 41,490 international citizens traveled to Syria and Iraq to join ISIS, according to ICSR. And foreign fighters continued to arrive, undeterred — the coalition recently estimated that about 50 were arriving each month.

Has the battle against ISIS really been won?

ISIS may have lost its last sliver of terrain in Syria, but the group is currently waging a fresh guerrilla campaign in far-flung territories of northern Iraq. And its black flag is still flown by affiliates in other corners of the globe, including Nigeria, Libya, Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, Afghanistan and the Philippines.

The US commander leading the war on ISIS said in February that he disagreed with Trump’s decision late last year to withdraw troops from Syria, saying the terror group was far from defeated.

Joseph Votel, the top American general in the Middle East, warned: “(The caliphate) still has leaders, still has fighters, it still has facilitators, it still has resources, so our continued military pressure is necessary to continue to go after that network.”

In mid-February, a new Pentagon report also appeared to reinforce the notion that total victory over ISIS was not on the horizon.

The report, the first of its kind since Trump announced plans to pull all troops from Syria, also says “ISIS remains an active insurgent group in both Iraq and Syria.”

“ISIS is regenerating key functions and capabilities more quickly in Iraq than in Syria, but absent sustained [counterterrorism] pressure, ISIS could likely resurge in Syria within six to twelve months and regain limited territory,” the report said.
The Syrian Democratic Forces announce the capture of the last territory held by ISIL in Syria.