The Syrian Democratic Forces and the U.S.-led coalition say it’s only a matter of time before ISIL is defeated in Syria.
Some 300-militants are reportedly hiding out in underground tunnels and caves in the village of Baghouz in Eastern Syria. Baghouz is considered the last ISIL stronghold. A convoy of trucks was sent into the village Tuesday to evacuate civilians.
The United Nations reports militants are holding as many as 200 families hostage, but a spokesman for the SDF said some of the fighters and civilians have now surrendered. The group said its current military strategy is to evacuate all the women and children.
To discuss the fate of ISIL and Syria’s future:
- Kamal Alam is a visiting fellow with the Royal United Services Institute.
- Pavel Felgenhauer is a defense analyst and columnist for Novaya Gazeta.
- Emma Ashford is a research fellow in Defense and Foreign Policy at the Cato Institute.
- Metin Gurcan is a security analyst and columnist for Al-Monitor’s Turkey Pulse.
For more:
Britain strips citizenship from teenager who joined Islamic State in Syria https://t.co/x8Dh70bACE pic.twitter.com/LtytJXzSuM
— Reuters (@Reuters) February 20, 2019
U.S.-backed forces close in on last square mile of ISIS territory in Syria https://t.co/lb56LP9PNU pic.twitter.com/xN0bqA8BDe
— CBS News (@CBSNews) February 16, 2019