Islamic State group jihadists using tunnels and suicide bombers were mounting a desperate defense Thursday of their last square kilometer in eastern Syria. The jihadists are clinging to about one square kilometer in the town’s built-up area, as well as to an adjacent camp, where a number of civilians are believed to be gathered. The major influx of the past few days slowed to a trickle on Thursday but it was unclear how many civilians remained trapped inside the jihadists’ last redoubt. BaghdadiIS’s elusive Iraqi-born supremo, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, is not believed to be among the last jihadist leaders holed up in Baghouz. The United States is due to pull its troops out of Syria within weeks, creating a vacuum that risks allowing IS to rebuild and project new ambitions.

Source: Egypt Independent February 16, 2019 08:03 UTC