'ISIS is finished': Syria announces end of terror group's 'project' as last town controlled by Jihadis falls to army
Tehran(KNA) : ISIS militants retreated on Thursday from their last stronghold in Syria, a strategic town near the border with Iraq, following a government offensive that has successfully left the extremist fighters spread in villages in the desert
The Syrian military stated the town of Albu Kamal freed after fierce battles that killed a myriad of militants, including leaders. The military said they are still pursuing other ISIS radicals in different directions in the desert.
"The liberation of Albu Kamal is of great significance because it is a declaration of the plunge of this group's project in the region generally and the downfall of its supporters' delusions to divide it, control large parts of the Syria-Iraq borders and secure supply paths between the two countries," said Army spokesman General Ali Mayhoub in a televised announcement.
Syrian pro-government media said Syrian forces had fought with remnants of ISIS extremists in the town after they came in it late on Wednesday. On Thursday, they reported the town free of Isis fighters.
Pro-Syrian media reported the town was liberated. Al-Ikhbariya TV's journalist reported from the road to the town, jubilantly breaking out on camera: "Daesh is finished. Live."
The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said government armed forces and allied troops, including Iraqi militaries who linked from across the border, are exploring through Albu Kamal after ISIS militants fell back.
With the downfall of ISIS in Albu Kamal, ISIS militants have no key territorial control in Syria and Iraq and are thought to have scattered in the desert west and east of the Euphrates River. US officials have estimated that there were between 2,500 and 3,500 ISIS militants around Albu Kamal. Primary members of the group were also believed to have taken shelter in Albu Kamal.
It was not clear if the government capture of the town means the end of the race over control of area previously held by ISIS.
So far the Kurdish-led SDF have focused on the region due east of the Euphrates, taking hold of a number of oil and gas fields and fortifying large strips of areas along the border with Iraq, as well as the newly freed Raqqa city.
Source: The Independent