ISIS has lost its final stronghold in Syria, the Syrian Democratic Forces says

[DonViejo]

Source: CNN



By Ben Wedeman and Lauren Said-Moorhouse, CNN

Updated 1627 GMT (0027 HKT) March 23, 2019

Eastern Syria (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 coalition of Kurdish and Arab soldiers backed by US, British and French special 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.

Ending weeks of combat, the US-backed Syrian forces raised a yellow flag atop a building in the town as they celebrated the victory over ISIS.

Read more: https://edition.cnn.com/2019/03/23/middleeast/isis-caliphate-end-intl/index.html

[underpants]

1. It was always a waiting game with them

I said that from the beginning. Trump will take credit for it of course.
Yes there were things that needed to be done to push ISIS to its inevitable breaking point but you simply can't sustain a fight for that long with a drug addled force and no rotation system. It just doesn't work.

BTW - didn't read the link but their last stronghold was about the size of NYC's Central Park.

[JohnnyRingo]

2. I believe we've made great progress.

But we can't defeat an ideal, only suppress it. Eventually, it grows again like a malignant tumor.
Only when an ideal is universally rejected does it die.

[Wolf Frankula]

3. How long before the CIA finds another nutcase group to fund?

In the name of 'regime change' of course.

Wolf

[totodeinhere]

5. They have gone underground. They will just wait for a chance to emerge again sometime

when the time is right again. Remember that they think in terms of decades or even centuries, not years. And in the meantime, their followers will retain the ability to carry out attacks all over the world.

[BigmanPigman]

6. As they were leaving the territory in shame they

vowed to return with a vengeance. They are not gone and will be back sooner or later. These religious grievances never really go away. History has taught us that.