Islamic State militants have intensified attacks away from the last frontline in recent days, Mustafa Bali, head of the SDF media office, said. Islamic State launched two of the attacks three days ago in the village of Dhiban, 90 km (56 miles) north of Baghouz. In the second, carried out that evening by a group of foreign militants, the SDF killed three militants and captured two, Bali said. Islamic State redrew the map of the Middle East in 2014 when it declared a caliphate across large areas of Syria and Iraq. SDF commander Mazloum Kobani has called for some international forces to remain in Syria to help fight Islamic State and expressed hope that the United States would halt plans for a total pullout.

Source: bd News24 February 19, 2019 10:30 UTC