ISIS is expected to soon lose its last piece of territory

The U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said on Saturday they are close to expelling the Islamic State from its last bastion of territory in Baghouz, Syria.

The battle is expected to be over "soon," said Mustafa Bali, the head of the Kurdish-led SDF's media office. This round of fighting began on Friday after the last remaining civilians evacuated Baghouz, leaving only ISIS fighters in the territory. Most of the evacuees were women and children — they were separated from the men, who were taken in for interrogation. An estimated 10,000 civilians have evacuated the territory since Feb. 20, many of them hailing from other countries, Al Jazeera reports.

An SDF victory would be significant, per Reuters, as ISIS once held a large swath of territory in the region. But the insurgents are expected to remain a guerrilla threat despite losing their last stronghold.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up