After The Release Of A Video Of ISIS Leader Al-Baghdadi, Questions Over The Authenticity Of The Video Remain..

WION Gravitas: Experts question the authenticity of the baghdadi video

In the 18-minute video from the Al Furqan network, a bearded man with Baghdadi's appearance says the Easter bombings in Sri Lanka were IS's response to losses in its last territorial stronghold of Baghouz in Syria.

WION Gravitas: Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi alive, absconding

IS, the brand of terror is rising since 2014 and now it has started using internet to spread it's hateful ideologies through social media. Watch this video to know more.

WION Gravitas: IS using social media to spread it's hateful ideologies

WION Fineprint: Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi alive, absconding

The elusive chief of the Islamic State group Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has purportedly appeared for the first time in five years in a propaganda video released Monday by the jihadist organisation.

It is unclear when the footage was filmed, but the man said to be Baghdadi referred in the past tense to the months-long fight for Baghouz, IS's final bastion in eastern Syria, which ended last month.

"The battle for Baghouz is over," the man said, sitting cross-legged on a cushion and addressing three men whose faces have been blurred.

But he insisted that IS's operations against the West were part of a "long battle," and that IS would "take revenge" on members who had been killed.

"There will be more to come after this battle," he said.

Baghdadi, 47, had a long grey beard that appeared dyed with henna and spoke slowly, often pausing for several seconds in the middle of his sentences.

He appeared for the first and last time in public in Mosul in 2014, where he declared an Islamic "caliphate" in the swathes of territory IS then held in Syria and Iraq.

He was reported killed or injured multiple times since then.

His last voice recording to his supporters was released in August, eight months after Iraq announced it had defeated IS and as US-backed forces closed in next door in Syria.

The elusive chief of the Islamic State group Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has purportedly appeared for the first time in five years in a propaganda video released Monday by the jihadist organisation.

The elusive chief of the Islamic State group Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has purportedly appeared for the first time in five years in a propaganda video released Monday by the jihadist organisation. It is unclear when the footage was filmed, but the man said to be Baghdadi referred in the past tense to the months-long fight for Baghouz, IS's final bastion in eastern Syria, which ended last month. "The battle for Baghouz is over," the man said, sitting cross-legged on a cushion and addressing three men whose faces have been blurred. But he insisted that IS's operations against the West were part of a "long battle," and that IS would "take revenge" on members who had been killed. "There will be more to come after this battle," he said. Baghdadi, 47, had a long grey beard that appeared dyed with henna and spoke slowly, often pausing for several seconds in the middle of his sentences. He appeared for the first and last time in public in Mosul in 2014, where he declared an Islamic "caliphate" in the swathes of territory IS then held in Syria and Iraq. He was reported killed or injured multiple times since then. His last voice recording to his supporters was released in August, eight months after Iraq announced it had defeated IS and as US-backed forces closed in next door in Syria.

IS chief Baghdadi appears for first time in five years in propaganda video

It once flew over a chunk of the Middle East larger than Britain but on Saturday the Islamic State group's sinister black banner lay crumpled in the dust of its final bastion.

A few metres from the reedy banks of the mighty Euphrates, what was likely one of the last flags of the "caliphate" had been torn and trampled.

Near it was one of at least 10 discarded explosives belts spotted by AFP reporters in the last strip of land conquered by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces.

In a small and remote village near the Iraqi border, the nightmare of the "Islamic caliphate" has ended.

The encampment on the edge of the village of Baghouz where the jihadists made their last stand is a churned-up wasteland of tents and truck carcasses.

Music rings out from one of the SDF cars, and the applause of male and female fighters echoes across the hills surrounding the fallen jihadist encampment.

"Three days ago we clutched our weapons, trying to break forward even a few metres," a fighter called Rami says.

But "now we've finished with IS and its black banner and we've hoisted our own instead," the 33-year-old tells AFP.

On the rooftop of a battle-scarred building near the Euphrates, a large yellow SDF flag now flies in the breeze.

A small group of fighters have already removed their military uniforms, to slip on jeans, tracksuits and sandals.

'Get married'

Just two days ago, they were combing the camp for holdout jihadists, when suddenly three suicide bombers jumped out from a tunnel wearing explosives belts.

"They were running, we were scared. We killed one, and the other two blew themselves up," says a 25-year-old fighter who gives his name as Ashkarani.

A fellow fighter was wounded and he had to carry him off to their armoured vehicle for evacuation, says the fighter from a small village in the wider province of Deir Ezzor says.

His wounded comrade is now in the Kurdish-held city of Qamishli further north and recovering, he says.

"It was just a light wound," adds Ashkarani, wearing a track suit rolled up above his ankles and sandals on his feet.

When victory was declared, he emptied his last cartridge into the air.

"We put music on. We started to dance," one of his friends interjects, laughing.

Ashkarani has already told his fiancee he and his comrades have finally won after a grinding months-long battle.

"I told her we'd finished and and we were coming home. She was happy," he says.

"We're expecting to get married in 10 or 20 days time."

At the foot of a hill, only charred cars and abandoned canvas remain of the cross-border "caliphate" that the extremist group declared in 2014 across large swathes of Syria and neighbouring Iraq.

Tunisians, Moroccans

Amid the skeletons of scorched vehicles, sheets, plastic carpets and thick blankets flap in the wind, once hastily thrown over metal rods or even trees to form makeshift tents.

Some cover deep trenches dug out in the ground.

Behind them, the jihadists have left saucepans, plastic basins -- even a stove.&nbsp;

Ripped clothes cling onto the side of parched, brittle bushes.

All around, there are sedans, mini-buses, even water tankers. Their mangled bodywork and those windscreens that have survived are riddled with bullet holes.

Just moments before the SDF announced victory, the crackle and thud of mortar fire and the whistle of sniper bullets still sounded from the front line.

A plume of smoke spiralled into the sky.

Hisham Haroun, 21, says the SDF's best fighters were called in for the last two days of battle.

"We needed military expertise equivalent" to that of the last IS holdouts, says the young fighter, still in his camouflage fatigues.

"Those who held out until the end were mainly foreigners -- Tunisians, Moroccans, and Egyptians." 
&nbsp;

It once flew over a chunk of the Middle East larger than Britain but on Saturday the Islamic State group's sinister black banner lay crumpled in the dust of its final bastion.

It once flew over a chunk of the Middle East larger than Britain but on Saturday the Islamic State group's sinister black banner lay crumpled in the dust of its final bastion. A few metres from the reedy banks of the mighty Euphrates, what was likely one of the last flags of the "caliphate" had been torn and trampled. Near it was one of at least 10 discarded explosives belts spotted by AFP reporters in the last strip of land conquered by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces. In a small and remote village near the Iraqi border, the nightmare of the "Islamic caliphate" has ended. The encampment on the edge of the village of Baghouz where the jihadists made their last stand is a churned-up wasteland of tents and truck carcasses. Music rings out from one of the SDF cars, and the applause of male and female fighters echoes across the hills surrounding the fallen jihadist encampment. "Three days ago we clutched our weapons, trying to break forward even a few metres," a fighter called Rami says. But "now we've finished with IS and its black banner and we've hoisted our own instead," the 33-year-old tells AFP. On the rooftop of a battle-scarred building near the Euphrates, a large yellow SDF flag now flies in the breeze. A small group of fighters have already removed their military uniforms, to slip on jeans, tracksuits and sandals. 'Get married' Just two days ago, they were combing the camp for holdout jihadists, when suddenly three suicide bombers jumped out from a tunnel wearing explosives belts. "They were running, we were scared. We killed one, and the other two blew themselves up," says a 25-year-old fighter who gives his name as Ashkarani. A fellow fighter was wounded and he had to carry him off to their armoured vehicle for evacuation, says the fighter from a small village in the wider province of Deir Ezzor says. His wounded comrade is now in the Kurdish-held city of Qamishli further north and recovering, he says. "It was just a light wound," adds Ashkarani, wearing a track suit rolled up above his ankles and sandals on his feet. When victory was declared, he emptied his last cartridge into the air. "We put music on. We started to dance," one of his friends interjects, laughing. Ashkarani has already told his fiancee he and his comrades have finally won after a grinding months-long battle. "I told her we'd finished and and we were coming home. She was happy," he says. "We're expecting to get married in 10 or 20 days time." At the foot of a hill, only charred cars and abandoned canvas remain of the cross-border "caliphate" that the extremist group declared in 2014 across large swathes of Syria and neighbouring Iraq. Tunisians, Moroccans Amid the skeletons of scorched vehicles, sheets, plastic carpets and thick blankets flap in the wind, once hastily thrown over metal rods or even trees to form makeshift tents. Some cover deep trenches dug out in the ground. Behind them, the jihadists have left saucepans, plastic basins -- even a stove. Ripped clothes cling onto the side of parched, brittle bushes. All around, there are sedans, mini-buses, even water tankers. Their mangled bodywork and those windscreens that have survived are riddled with bullet holes. Just moments before the SDF announced victory, the crackle and thud of mortar fire and the whistle of sniper bullets still sounded from the front line. A plume of smoke spiralled into the sky. Hisham Haroun, 21, says the SDF's best fighters were called in for the last two days of battle. "We needed military expertise equivalent" to that of the last IS holdouts, says the young fighter, still in his camouflage fatigues. "Those who held out until the end were mainly foreigners -- Tunisians, Moroccans, and Egyptians."

Baghouz, where the last black flag came down

Kurdish-led forces said around 2,000 people, mostly jihadists, surrendered from the Islamic State group's last scrap of territory in Syria Tuesday, as air raids and shelling resumed after a brief lull.

A ragged tent encampment in the eastern Syrian village of Baghouz is all that remains of a once-sprawling IS "caliphate" declared in 2014 across large swathes of Syria and neighbouring Iraq.

The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces has been trying to crush holdout IS fighters for weeks but the mass outpouring of men, women and children from the riverside hamlet has bogged down its advance.

Backed by the US-led coalition, the SDF renewed its assault Sunday after warning remaining IS fighters their time was up.

Air strikes and shelling have since pummelled Baghouz three nights in a row, killing scores of fighters and prompting hundreds of jihadists and their relatives to surrender.

Thousands handed themselves over Tuesday, after a deluge of fire hit the IS encampment the previous night.

"Around 2,000 people, mostly fighters, have handed themselves over today," SDF spokesman Adnan Afrin told AFP, without adding how many remain inside.

The SDF and the US-led coalition resumed shelling and air strikes on the last IS bastion Tuesday evening, interrupting a brief lull in fighting that had taken hold during the day to allow for people to surrender.

An AFP correspondent near the front line heard warplanes rumbling overhead, as the sound of mortar fire and explosions rang from the IS encampment.

Dozens of SDF fighters massed at the entrance of the village of Baghouz on Tuesday evening.

Sherif, the unit commander, said his force was preparing to storm the jihadist redoubt.

"We readied ourselves today and our spirits are high," he told AFP.

"We will enter with full force and we will be at the forefront" of the advance, said the fighter who has been battling jihadists for years.

'Terrorising IS fighters'

Earlier Tuesday, Ali Cheir, an SDF unit commander, said his force and the coalition were pummelling the IS enclave at night to flush out jihadists.

"The objective of our advance is to terrorise IS fighters so they surrender, and for the civilians to come out," said the 27-year-old.

Coalition warplanes Monday pounded the jihadist redoubt with 20 air strikes, destroying armoured vehicles and arms caches, SDF spokesman Mustefa Bali said.

He said US-backed forces clashed with jihadists on several fronts, killing nearly 40 IS fighters.

Since December, around 60,000 people have left the last IS redoubt, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, around a tenth of them suspected jihadist fighters.

The United Nations said the numbers from Baghouz arriving in one Kurdish-run camp further north for the displaced were smaller than in previous weeks.

It said they were reaching the camp in a worse state than before.

The UN's food agency said it is concerned about their wellbeing.

"On Sunday night more than 3,000 people, mostly women and children in a poor state, reached the camp," the WFP said.

"WFP is deeply concerned about the welfare of tens of thousands of people recently arriving at the Al-Hol camp," it said Tuesday.

Around 113 people -- two-thirds of them children under five -- have died en route to the camp or shortly after arriving since December, the UN's humanitarian coordination office OCHA says.

'Battles not over'

At the height of its brutal rule, IS controlled a stretch of land in Syria and Iraq the size of the United Kingdom.

The total capture of the Baghouz camp by the SDF would mark the end of the cross-border "caliphate" it proclaimed more than four years ago.

But beyond Baghouz, IS retains a presence in eastern Syria's vast Badia desert and sleeper cells in the northeast.

The jihadists have continued to claim deadly attacks in SDF-held territory in recent months, and the US military has warned of the need to maintain a "vigilant offensive".

The group released a video late Monday allegedly showing jihadists in Baghouz, quietly defiant in the face of the advancing SDF.

"If we had thousands of kilometres and now we only have some kilometres left, it is said we have lost -- but God's judging standard is different," said a man named Abu Abdel Adheem.

"The battles are not over," he said, sitting on the ground in a circle with two men and a young boy in a hooded jacket.

Baghouz is the latest front on Syria's complex civil war, which has killed more than 360,000 people since 2011.

Kurdish-led forces said around 2,000 people, mostly jihadists, surrendered from the Islamic State group's last scrap of territory in Syria Tuesday, as air raids and shelling resumed after a brief lull.

Kurdish-led forces said around 2,000 people, mostly jihadists, surrendered from the Islamic State group's last scrap of territory in Syria Tuesday, as air raids and shelling resumed after a brief lull. A ragged tent encampment in the eastern Syrian village of Baghouz is all that remains of a once-sprawling IS "caliphate" declared in 2014 across large swathes of Syria and neighbouring Iraq. The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces has been trying to crush holdout IS fighters for weeks but the mass outpouring of men, women and children from the riverside hamlet has bogged down its advance. Backed by the US-led coalition, the SDF renewed its assault Sunday after warning remaining IS fighters their time was up. Air strikes and shelling have since pummelled Baghouz three nights in a row, killing scores of fighters and prompting hundreds of jihadists and their relatives to surrender. Thousands handed themselves over Tuesday, after a deluge of fire hit the IS encampment the previous night. "Around 2,000 people, mostly fighters, have handed themselves over today," SDF spokesman Adnan Afrin told AFP, without adding how many remain inside. The SDF and the US-led coalition resumed shelling and air strikes on the last IS bastion Tuesday evening, interrupting a brief lull in fighting that had taken hold during the day to allow for people to surrender. An AFP correspondent near the front line heard warplanes rumbling overhead, as the sound of mortar fire and explosions rang from the IS encampment. Dozens of SDF fighters massed at the entrance of the village of Baghouz on Tuesday evening. Sherif, the unit commander, said his force was preparing to storm the jihadist redoubt. "We readied ourselves today and our spirits are high," he told AFP. "We will enter with full force and we will be at the forefront" of the advance, said the fighter who has been battling jihadists for years. 'Terrorising IS fighters' Earlier Tuesday, Ali Cheir, an SDF unit commander, said his force and the coalition were pummelling the IS enclave at night to flush out jihadists. "The objective of our advance is to terrorise IS fighters so they surrender, and for the civilians to come out," said the 27-year-old. Coalition warplanes Monday pounded the jihadist redoubt with 20 air strikes, destroying armoured vehicles and arms caches, SDF spokesman Mustefa Bali said. He said US-backed forces clashed with jihadists on several fronts, killing nearly 40 IS fighters. Since December, around 60,000 people have left the last IS redoubt, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, around a tenth of them suspected jihadist fighters. The United Nations said the numbers from Baghouz arriving in one Kurdish-run camp further north for the displaced were smaller than in previous weeks. It said they were reaching the camp in a worse state than before. The UN's food agency said it is concerned about their wellbeing. "On Sunday night more than 3,000 people, mostly women and children in a poor state, reached the camp," the WFP said. "WFP is deeply concerned about the welfare of tens of thousands of people recently arriving at the Al-Hol camp," it said Tuesday. Around 113 people -- two-thirds of them children under five -- have died en route to the camp or shortly after arriving since December, the UN's humanitarian coordination office OCHA says. 'Battles not over' At the height of its brutal rule, IS controlled a stretch of land in Syria and Iraq the size of the United Kingdom. The total capture of the Baghouz camp by the SDF would mark the end of the cross-border "caliphate" it proclaimed more than four years ago. But beyond Baghouz, IS retains a presence in eastern Syria's vast Badia desert and sleeper cells in the northeast. The jihadists have continued to claim deadly attacks in SDF-held territory in recent months, and the US military has warned of the need to maintain a "vigilant offensive". The group released a video late Monday allegedly showing jihadists in Baghouz, quietly defiant in the face of the advancing SDF. "If we had thousands of kilometres and now we only have some kilometres left, it is said we have lost -- but God's judging standard is different," said a man named Abu Abdel Adheem. "The battles are not over," he said, sitting on the ground in a circle with two men and a young boy in a hooded jacket. Baghouz is the latest front on Syria's complex civil war, which has killed more than 360,000 people since 2011.

2,000 more surrender from Islamic State Syria bastion as end nears

The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) paused military operations against Islamic State (IS) militants holed up in the group's final enclave in eastern Syria, expecting more civilians to be evacuated from the area on Saturday, an SDF official said.

Thousands of people - many of them the wives of IS fighters and their children - have been streaming out of besieged enclave at Baghouz for weeks, forcing the SDF to delay the assault to wipe out the last vestige of the jihadists' territorial rule.

The SDF has said it wants to make sure all civilians are out of the enclave before launching its final assault. Hundreds of IS fighters have also surrendered, but the SDF believes the most hardened foreign jihadists are still inside.

"There are a number of families ... military operations are paused now for their evacuation," Mustafa Bali, head of the SDF media office, told Reuters.

Trucks used for the evacuations went into Baghouz on Saturday and four have so far emerged carrying people, a Reuters witness said.

On Friday, Bali said the SDF would resume the assault if no more civilians had emerged by Saturday afternoon.

Those emerging from Baghouz are screened by the SDF and most are sent north to the al-Hol camp, already overcrowded with uprooted Syrians and Iraqis from years of war.

More than 62,000 people displaced by fighting around the IS enclave have flooded al-Hol camp, with 5,200 arriving between March 5-7 and thousands more expected, the United Nations said on Friday.

The weather is cold and rainy and there is a shortage of tents and supplies. Dozens of children have died on the way to the camp. The International Rescue Committee (IRC) on Friday said al-Hol was at "breaking point".

"No one could have guessed that such a large number of women and children were still living in Baghouz," IRC spokeswoman Misty Buswell said.

Those arriving in al-Hol are in "extremely poor health" with malnutrition, diarrhoea and skin diseases. Many of the women arriving at the camp are either heavily pregnant or have recently given birth, IRC said.

After suddenly seizing swathes of land straddling the Iraqi-Syrian border in 2014 and declaring it their caliphate, Islamic State was beaten back by numerous local and foreign forces in both countries, suffering major defeats in 2017.

However, the jihadists remain a threat. In Iraq, they have gone to ground, staging waves of killings and kidnappings. In Syria, their comrades hold out in remote desert areas and have carried out bombings in areas controlled by the SDF.

Islamic State on Saturday said it had carried out a suicide car bomb attack near the Syrian town of Manbij to signal to foreign troops that they are not safe in the country. Manbij is controlled by a militia allied to the SDF.

"The crusaders on Syrian soil shall know they are being watched and will not be secure while our blood beats," a statement published by the IS-affiliated Amaq news agency said.

In an email to Reuters, a spokesman for the US-led coalition backing the SDF, Colonel Sean Ryan, denied Islamic State's claim that the blast had killed three US&nbsp;armed forces members and injured others.

The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) paused military operations against Islamic State (IS) militants holed up in the group's final enclave in eastern Syria, expecting more civilians to be evacuated from the area on Saturday, an SDF official said.

The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) paused military operations against Islamic State (IS) militants holed up in the group's final enclave in eastern Syria, expecting more civilians to be evacuated from the area on Saturday, an SDF official said. Thousands of people - many of them the wives of IS fighters and their children - have been streaming out of besieged enclave at Baghouz for weeks, forcing the SDF to delay the assault to wipe out the last vestige of the jihadists' territorial rule. The SDF has said it wants to make sure all civilians are out of the enclave before launching its final assault. Hundreds of IS fighters have also surrendered, but the SDF believes the most hardened foreign jihadists are still inside. "There are a number of families ... military operations are paused now for their evacuation," Mustafa Bali, head of the SDF media office, told Reuters. Trucks used for the evacuations went into Baghouz on Saturday and four have so far emerged carrying people, a Reuters witness said. On Friday, Bali said the SDF would resume the assault if no more civilians had emerged by Saturday afternoon. Those emerging from Baghouz are screened by the SDF and most are sent north to the al-Hol camp, already overcrowded with uprooted Syrians and Iraqis from years of war. More than 62,000 people displaced by fighting around the IS enclave have flooded al-Hol camp, with 5,200 arriving between March 5-7 and thousands more expected, the United Nations said on Friday. The weather is cold and rainy and there is a shortage of tents and supplies. Dozens of children have died on the way to the camp. The International Rescue Committee (IRC) on Friday said al-Hol was at "breaking point". "No one could have guessed that such a large number of women and children were still living in Baghouz," IRC spokeswoman Misty Buswell said. Those arriving in al-Hol are in "extremely poor health" with malnutrition, diarrhoea and skin diseases. Many of the women arriving at the camp are either heavily pregnant or have recently given birth, IRC said. After suddenly seizing swathes of land straddling the Iraqi-Syrian border in 2014 and declaring it their caliphate, Islamic State was beaten back by numerous local and foreign forces in both countries, suffering major defeats in 2017. However, the jihadists remain a threat. In Iraq, they have gone to ground, staging waves of killings and kidnappings. In Syria, their comrades hold out in remote desert areas and have carried out bombings in areas controlled by the SDF. Islamic State on Saturday said it had carried out a suicide car bomb attack near the Syrian town of Manbij to signal to foreign troops that they are not safe in the country. Manbij is controlled by a militia allied to the SDF. "The crusaders on Syrian soil shall know they are being watched and will not be secure while our blood beats," a statement published by the IS-affiliated Amaq news agency said. In an email to Reuters, a spokesman for the US-led coalition backing the SDF, Colonel Sean Ryan, denied Islamic State's claim that the blast had killed three US armed forces members and injured others.

More civilians leave Islamic State's Syria enclave, delaying final assault

The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) hopes the evacuation of people wishing to leave Islamic State's last enclave in eastern Syria will be completed on Thursday, an SDF commander said.

The SDF has said it wants to ensure all civilians have been evacuated from the besieged enclave of Baghouz before launching a final assault. Baghouz is the last shred of populated territory held by the Islamic State, which once controlled swathes of Iraq and Syria.

Many thousands of people, many of them the families of Islamic State fighters, have poured out of Baghouz over the last several weeks. Hundreds of Islamic State militants have also surrendered, the SDF says.

"The evacuation operations will continue today too and we hope they will be completed today," SDF commander Adnan Afrin said.

Islamic State suffered its major military defeats in 2017 when it was driven from the Iraqi city of Mosul and its Syrian headquarters at Raqqa by local forces supported by a US-led international coalition.

Even with its defeat at Baghouz looming large, the group is still widely assessed to represent a security threat with a foothold in patches of remote territory and the capacity to mount guerrilla attacks.

The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) hopes the evacuation of people wishing to leave Islamic State's last enclave in eastern Syria will be completed on Thursday, an SDF commander said.

The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) hopes the evacuation of people wishing to leave Islamic State's last enclave in eastern Syria will be completed on Thursday, an SDF commander said. The SDF has said it wants to ensure all civilians have been evacuated from the besieged enclave of Baghouz before launching a final assault. Baghouz is the last shred of populated territory held by the Islamic State, which once controlled swathes of Iraq and Syria. Many thousands of people, many of them the families of Islamic State fighters, have poured out of Baghouz over the last several weeks. Hundreds of Islamic State militants have also surrendered, the SDF says. "The evacuation operations will continue today too and we hope they will be completed today," SDF commander Adnan Afrin said. Islamic State suffered its major military defeats in 2017 when it was driven from the Iraqi city of Mosul and its Syrian headquarters at Raqqa by local forces supported by a US-led international coalition. Even with its defeat at Baghouz looming large, the group is still widely assessed to represent a security threat with a foothold in patches of remote territory and the capacity to mount guerrilla attacks.

US-backed force in Syria hopes to complete evacuation of Islamic State enclave today

The wife of French jihadist Jean-Michel Clain told AFP Tuesday in Syria that her husband was killed last month after a coalition strike killed his brother Fabien, another notorious jihadist.

"The drone killed my brother-in-law and then the mortar killed my husband," Dorothee Maquere said at a screening area after exiting the Islamic State group's last pocket in Baghouz.

Fabien Clain, 41, gained notoriety after voicing an audio recording claiming responsibility for the November 2015 attacks in Paris, when IS jihadists slaughtered 129 people in coordinated attacks at restaurants and bars around the French capital.

He was killed in a coalition drone strike last month in Baghouz, the village in eastern Syria where diehard IS jihadists are making a bloody last stand.

His younger brother Jean-Michel, 38, was wounded in the same February 20 coalition on Baghouz but survived, Maquere said. But he died in a mortar attack two days later.

She was speaking at a screening centre run by the Syrian Democratic Forces, the Kurdish-led force that has spearheaded the military operation against the last dreg of the IS "caliphate".

She was among a group of several hundred civilians who exited the tiny besieged enclave, where a dwindling number of jihadist fighters were refusing to surrender.

Maquere was wearing a full black veil and was surrounded by her five surviving children. She lost three other children in the bombardment.

While Fabien was seen as a senior propagandist among the foreign fighters ranks of IS, his younger brother was known as a singer of the "nasheed" chants heard on some of the videos released by the organisation. All options available if there is another terrorist strike: Official sources

Sources in the Indian government have said "all options will be available" if the country is hit by another terrorist strike.&nbsp;

The sources told the news agency PTI that India will insist on "concrete steps" by Pakistan to dismantle terrorist infrastructure on its soil and that since Balakot, India has been "trying to build maximum pressure on Pakistan".&nbsp;

Pakistan arrests Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar's brother

Pakistan has arrested the brother of Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar.&nbsp;

Minister of State for Interior Shehryar Khan Afridi said Tuesday at a press conference that Mufti Abdur Rauf had been arrested.&nbsp;

Pakistan says it stopped Indian submarine from entering its waters

Pakistan has stopped an Indian submarine from entering its waters, the navy said Tuesday, as tensions continue to run high between the nuclear-armed foes.

The development came days after a rare aerial dogfight between India and Pakistan over the disputed territory of Kashmir ignited fears of all-out conflict, with world powers rushing to urge restraint.

UK Foreign Minister Jeremy Hunt says 'reasonably positive' signs from EU over Brexit deal changes

Foreign minister Jeremy Hunt said on Tuesday the European Union was giving "reasonably positive" signals about giving Britain changes to Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit deal which could help it get parliamentary backing.

Live score: Finch, Khawaja fall in quick succession, Australia 83/2 after 15.3 overs

India all-out for 250 in 48.2 overs. India captain Virat Kohli top-scored with 116 off 120 balls while Vijay Shankar made 46 of 41.

The wife of French jihadist Jean-Michel Clain told AFP Tuesday in Syria that her husband was killed last month after a coalition strike killed his brother Fabien, another notorious jihadist.

The wife of French jihadist Jean-Michel Clain told AFP Tuesday in Syria that her husband was killed last month after a coalition strike killed his brother Fabien, another notorious jihadist. "The drone killed my brother-in-law and then the mortar killed my husband," Dorothee Maquere said at a screening area after exiting the Islamic State group's last pocket in Baghouz. Fabien Clain, 41, gained notoriety after voicing an audio recording claiming responsibility for the November 2015 attacks in Paris, when IS jihadists slaughtered 129 people in coordinated attacks at restaurants and bars around the French capital. He was killed in a coalition drone strike last month in Baghouz, the village in eastern Syria where diehard IS jihadists are making a bloody last stand. His younger brother Jean-Michel, 38, was wounded in the same February 20 coalition on Baghouz but survived, Maquere said. But he died in a mortar attack two days later. She was speaking at a screening centre run by the Syrian Democratic Forces, the Kurdish-led force that has spearheaded the military operation against the last dreg of the IS "caliphate". She was among a group of several hundred civilians who exited the tiny besieged enclave, where a dwindling number of jihadist fighters were refusing to surrender. Maquere was wearing a full black veil and was surrounded by her five surviving children. She lost three other children in the bombardment. While Fabien was seen as a senior propagandist among the foreign fighters ranks of IS, his younger brother was known as a singer of the "nasheed" chants heard on some of the videos released by the organisation. All options available if there is another terrorist strike: Official sources Sources in the Indian government have said "all options will be available" if the country is hit by another terrorist strike. The sources told the news agency PTI that India will insist on "concrete steps" by Pakistan to dismantle terrorist infrastructure on its soil and that since Balakot, India has been "trying to build maximum pressure on Pakistan". Pakistan arrests Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar's brother Pakistan has arrested the brother of Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar. Minister of State for Interior Shehryar Khan Afridi said Tuesday at a press conference that Mufti Abdur Rauf had been arrested. Pakistan says it stopped Indian submarine from entering its waters Pakistan has stopped an Indian submarine from entering its waters, the navy said Tuesday, as tensions continue to run high between the nuclear-armed foes. The development came days after a rare aerial dogfight between India and Pakistan over the disputed territory of Kashmir ignited fears of all-out conflict, with world powers rushing to urge restraint. UK Foreign Minister Jeremy Hunt says 'reasonably positive' signs from EU over Brexit deal changes Foreign minister Jeremy Hunt said on Tuesday the European Union was giving "reasonably positive" signals about giving Britain changes to Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit deal which could help it get parliamentary backing. Live score: Finch, Khawaja fall in quick succession, Australia 83/2 after 15.3 overs India all-out for 250 in 48.2 overs. India captain Virat Kohli top-scored with 116 off 120 balls while Vijay Shankar made 46 of 41.

French jihadist Jean-Michel Clain killed in Syria, says wife

US-backed fighters have slowed an offensive to take Islamic State's last enclave in eastern Syria because a small number of civilians remain there, though fierce fighting continues, they said on Monday.

Islamic State faces defeat in the last shred of its main territory in Syria and Iraq where it announced a "caliphate" in 2014, suffering years of steady retreats after arousing global fury through grotesque displays of cruelty.

Despite the setbacks, the group remains a deadly threat, developing alternatives to its caliphate ranging from rural insurgency to urban bombings by affiliates in the region and beyond, many governments say.

The Syrian Democratic Forces this weekend resumed its assault on the group's pocket in the village of Baghouz, the culmination of a campaign that included the capture of Raqqa in 2017, when IS also faced other big defeats in Iraq and Syria.

The militia had already paused its attack for weeks to allow thousands of people to flee the area, including Islamic State supporters, fighters, children, local people and some of the group's captives.

It said on Friday that only jihadists remained, but now says some more civilians are left.

"We're slowing down the offensive in Baghouz due to a small number of civilians held as human shields by Daesh," said SDF spokesman Mustafa Bali on Twitter, using an Arabic acronym for Islamic State.

However, "the battle to retake the last ISIS holdout is going to be over soon," he added.

Dozens of trucks similar to those that had evacuated people from the enclave in recent weeks were visible heading back there on Monday and the drivers said they were going to pick people up at Baghouz.

Col Sean Ryan, spokesman for the US-led coalition, said in an email that he could not verify who Islamic State was holding but hoped they would be released unharmed.

On Sunday, the SDF faced landmines, car bombs, tunnel ambushes and suicide attacks as they attempted to overrun the enclave - tactics the jihadist group has honed through its hard-fought retreat down the Euphrates.

Reuters photographs from Baghouz on Sunday showed dark plumes of smoke rising above houses and palm trees, and SDF fighters shooting into the Islamic State enclave.

While the capture of Baghouz would mark a milestone in the fight against Islamic State, the group is expected to remain a security threat as an insurgent force with sleeper cells and some pockets of remote territory.

US-backed fighters have slowed an offensive to take Islamic State's last enclave in eastern Syria because a small number of civilians remain there, though fierce fighting continues, they said on Monday.

US-backed fighters have slowed an offensive to take Islamic State's last enclave in eastern Syria because a small number of civilians remain there, though fierce fighting continues, they said on Monday. Islamic State faces defeat in the last shred of its main territory in Syria and Iraq where it announced a "caliphate" in 2014, suffering years of steady retreats after arousing global fury through grotesque displays of cruelty. Despite the setbacks, the group remains a deadly threat, developing alternatives to its caliphate ranging from rural insurgency to urban bombings by affiliates in the region and beyond, many governments say. The Syrian Democratic Forces this weekend resumed its assault on the group's pocket in the village of Baghouz, the culmination of a campaign that included the capture of Raqqa in 2017, when IS also faced other big defeats in Iraq and Syria. The militia had already paused its attack for weeks to allow thousands of people to flee the area, including Islamic State supporters, fighters, children, local people and some of the group's captives. It said on Friday that only jihadists remained, but now says some more civilians are left. "We're slowing down the offensive in Baghouz due to a small number of civilians held as human shields by Daesh," said SDF spokesman Mustafa Bali on Twitter, using an Arabic acronym for Islamic State. However, "the battle to retake the last ISIS holdout is going to be over soon," he added. Dozens of trucks similar to those that had evacuated people from the enclave in recent weeks were visible heading back there on Monday and the drivers said they were going to pick people up at Baghouz. Col Sean Ryan, spokesman for the US-led coalition, said in an email that he could not verify who Islamic State was holding but hoped they would be released unharmed. On Sunday, the SDF faced landmines, car bombs, tunnel ambushes and suicide attacks as they attempted to overrun the enclave - tactics the jihadist group has honed through its hard-fought retreat down the Euphrates. Reuters photographs from Baghouz on Sunday showed dark plumes of smoke rising above houses and palm trees, and SDF fighters shooting into the Islamic State enclave. While the capture of Baghouz would mark a milestone in the fight against Islamic State, the group is expected to remain a security threat as an insurgent force with sleeper cells and some pockets of remote territory.

Syria fighters say Islamic State still holds civilians, slowing attack

Wounded and alone, children emerge from last Islamic State enclave in Baghouz

WION Speed News: Watch top national and international news of the morning, 3rd March, 2019

US-backed Syrian force attacks final IS enclave

The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) continued their advance against the Islamic State in a battle to capture its last enclave in eastern Syria.

A Reuters witness said there was a lull in fighting on Monday where Islamic State fighters could be seen strolling in their last neighbourhood of Baghouz village, near the Iraqi border where they are sheltering among civilians.

SDF commanders said the presence of civilians among the militants was compelling their fighters to proceed cautiously.

With US&nbsp;help, the Kurdish-led fighters are poised to seize Islamic State's last holdout. At the height of its power four years ago, Islamic State held about a third of both Iraq and Syria in a self-proclaimed caliphate.

Though Islamic State fighters still hold out in a pocket of central Syria's remote desert and have gone underground as sleeper cells in Iraqi cities, able to launch new attacks, their territorial rule is, for now, almost over.

The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) continued their advance against the Islamic State in a battle to capture its last enclave in eastern Syria. A Reuters witness said there was a lull in fighting on Monday where Islamic State fighters could be seen strolling in their last neighbourhood of Baghouz village, near the Iraqi border where they are sheltering among civilians.

The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) continued their advance against the Islamic State in a battle to capture its last enclave in eastern Syria. A Reuters witness said there was a lull in fighting on Monday where Islamic State fighters could be seen strolling in their last neighbourhood of Baghouz village, near the Iraqi border where they are sheltering among civilians. SDF commanders said the presence of civilians among the militants was compelling their fighters to proceed cautiously. With US help, the Kurdish-led fighters are poised to seize Islamic State's last holdout. At the height of its power four years ago, Islamic State held about a third of both Iraq and Syria in a self-proclaimed caliphate. Though Islamic State fighters still hold out in a pocket of central Syria's remote desert and have gone underground as sleeper cells in Iraqi cities, able to launch new attacks, their territorial rule is, for now, almost over.

Syrian Democratic Forces advance on IS in Baghouz

A British teenager who fled to join the<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/seven-children-among-16-killed-in-strike-on-islamic-state-syria-holdout-war-monitor-196790"> Islamic State group</a> in Syria is living in a refugee camp and wants to return home, The Times reported on Thursday.

Shamima Begum, now 19, expressed no regrets about fleeing her London life four years ago but said that two of her children had died and, pregnant with her third, she wanted to return.

She left the jihadists as they staged their last stand in Baghouz in eastern Syria, near the Iraqi border.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>'... when I saw my first severed head in a bin it didn't faze me at all. It was from a captured fighter seized on the battlefield, an enemy of Islam'</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text='... when I saw my first severed head in a bin it didn't faze me at all. It was from a captured fighter seized on the battlefield, an enemy of Islam'" target="_blank">&nbsp;</a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">×</a></div>
</div>
</div>

"I was weak. I could not endure the suffering and hardship that staying on the battlefield involved," she told the newspaper from the Al-Hawl camp.

"But I was also frightened that the child I am about to give birth to would die like my other children if I stayed on.

"So I fled the caliphate. Now all I want to do is come home to Britain."

She described life under IS with her Dutch husband, who surrendered as they left, telling The Times, "Mostly it was normal life in Raqqa, every now and then bombing and stuff."

"But when I saw my first severed head in a bin it didn't faze me at all. It was from a captured fighter seized on the battlefield, an enemy of Islam."

"I thought only of what he would have done to a Muslim woman if he had the chance."

She added: "I'm not the same silly little 15-year-old schoolgirl who ran away from Bethnal Green four years ago. And I don't regret coming here."

Begum was one of three schoolgirls from the same school in the east London district of Bethnal Green who ran away to join the IS group in 2015.

Another girl from the same area left the year before.

One of the girls, Kadiza Sultana, has been reported killed and Begum said the other two, Sharmeena Begum -- no relation -- and Amira Abase stayed on in Baghouz.

"They were strong. I respect their decision," Begum said of her friends.

"They urged patience and endurance in the caliphate and chose to stay behind in Baghouz. They would be ashamed of me if they survived the bombing and battle to learn that I had left."

She added: "They made their choice as single women. For their husbands were already dead."

Begum said she was nine months pregnant, and her two previous children had died -- a daughter, Sarayah, who was ill, and a son, Jerah, whose death was linked to malnutrition.

"In the end, I just could not endure any more," she said of her desire to get out. "I just couldn't take it."

A British teenager who fled to join the Islamic State group in Syria is living in a refugee camp and wants to return home, The Times reported on Thursday. Shamima Begum, now 19, expressed no regrets about fleeing her London life four years ago but said that two of her children had died and, pregnant with her third, she wanted to return.

A British teenager who fled to join the Islamic State group in Syria is living in a refugee camp and wants to return home, The Times reported on Thursday. Shamima Begum, now 19, expressed no regrets about fleeing her London life four years ago but said that two of her children had died and, pregnant with her third, she wanted to return. She left the jihadists as they staged their last stand in Baghouz in eastern Syria, near the Iraqi border. '... when I saw my first severed head in a bin it didn't faze me at all. It was from a captured fighter seized on the battlefield, an enemy of Islam' × "I was weak. I could not endure the suffering and hardship that staying on the battlefield involved," she told the newspaper from the Al-Hawl camp. "But I was also frightened that the child I am about to give birth to would die like my other children if I stayed on. "So I fled the caliphate. Now all I want to do is come home to Britain." She described life under IS with her Dutch husband, who surrendered as they left, telling The Times, "Mostly it was normal life in Raqqa, every now and then bombing and stuff." "But when I saw my first severed head in a bin it didn't faze me at all. It was from a captured fighter seized on the battlefield, an enemy of Islam." "I thought only of what he would have done to a Muslim woman if he had the chance." She added: "I'm not the same silly little 15-year-old schoolgirl who ran away from Bethnal Green four years ago. And I don't regret coming here." Begum was one of three schoolgirls from the same school in the east London district of Bethnal Green who ran away to join the IS group in 2015. Another girl from the same area left the year before. One of the girls, Kadiza Sultana, has been reported killed and Begum said the other two, Sharmeena Begum -- no relation -- and Amira Abase stayed on in Baghouz. "They were strong. I respect their decision," Begum said of her friends. "They urged patience and endurance in the caliphate and chose to stay behind in Baghouz. They would be ashamed of me if they survived the bombing and battle to learn that I had left." She added: "They made their choice as single women. For their husbands were already dead." Begum said she was nine months pregnant, and her two previous children had died -- a daughter, Sarayah, who was ill, and a son, Jerah, whose death was linked to malnutrition. "In the end, I just could not endure any more," she said of her desire to get out. "I just couldn't take it."

UK teen ran away to join Islamic State in Syria; she now 'wants to come home'

baghouz

Baghouz, News on Baghouz, stories on Baghouz, articles on Baghouz, Baghouz stories at Wion, Baghouz news, Baghouz latest news