After a massive military offensive of the Militia Alliance „Syrian Democratic Forces“ (SDF), apparently several hundred fighters of the terrorist militia Islamic State (IS) have emerged. „About 2,000 people, most of them fighters and their families, came from the Baghus area and surrendered to our forces,“ said SDF commander Adnan Afrin.
The Kurdish-led SDF is supported by the US and claims to lead a final offensive on the last remaining place under IS control in Syria.
The United Kingdom-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, on the other hand, spoke of only 350 people who surrendered. Among them were 120 IS fighters.
For several weeks, the SDF against the IS in the east of Syria. The Islamists have retreated to a small area on the Euphrates River. The IS is about to face a military defeat. 400 IS fighters had already been arrested last week when they tried to flee Baghus. Around 2,000 people, most of them women and children, were taken from the village to safety at the end of February.
According to the Observatory, in the past two weeks a total of around 20,000 people, including some 2,500 fighters, have come into the hands of the SDF.
The SDF militias had repeatedly suspended their attacks to allow the IS fighters and civilians to withdraw. On Sunday they resumed the offensive. They were supported by air strikes by the US-led anti-IS coalition.
