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U.S. backed Syrian force attacks final IS enclave

Syrian Democratic Forces
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The United States (U.S) backed Syrian force closing in on Islamic State‘s last territorial bastion near the Iraqi border expects a “decisive battle” on Sunday after advancing slowly, a spokesman said overnight.

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) clashed with Islamic State (IS) for nearly 18-hours inside Baghouz after removing the remaining civilians and resuming their assault on Friday evening.

Capturing Baghouz, an eastern Syrian village on the bank of the Euphrates River, would cap four years of international efforts to roll back the jihadists, but the group remains a threat, using guerrilla tactics and holding some desolate land further west.

Thousands of fighters, followers and civilians had retreated to this tiny cluster of hamlets and farmland in Deir al-Zor province as Islamic State (IS) territory shrunk and over the last few weeks, they have poured out, holding up the final assault. The SDF has previously estimated several hundred IS insurgents to be inside.

The SDF commander-in-chief said on Thursday that his force would declare victory within a week.

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