At least 84 people,<a href="http://www.wionews.com/photos/in-pictures-children-become-victims-of-chemical-attack-in-syria-220"> two-thirds of them young children</a>, have died since December on their way to al-Hol camp in northeastern Syria after fleeing Islamic State in the Deir al-Zor region, the United Nations said on Friday.

The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) has been poised for several weeks to wipe out the last vestige of Islamic State's territorial rule at the besieged village of Baghouz near the Iraqi border, but the operation has been held up by efforts to evacuate thousands of civilians.

The United Nations is "gravely concerned" about the plight of thousands of civilians fleeing the last ISIL-held areas of Baghouz in rural Deir al-Zor province after intense fighting, Jens Laerke, spokesman of the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), told a news briefing.

Al-Hol camp, in northeastern Hasaka province, now holds at least 45,000 people, including 13,000 people who fled Deir al-Zor last week, he said.

"Many of them have arrived exhausted, hungry and sick," he said, adding that nine out of 10 were women and children.

"It's a very long, a very tiring journey to this camp, so far have reports of more than 84 deaths on that road, on that stretch of territory. Two-thirds of those who have died are children under five years of age," Laerke said.

Some 175 children have been hospitalised due to severe acute malnutrition, a life-threatening form of the disease, he said, citing reports from U.N. agencies and aid groups on the ground.

At least 84 people, two-thirds of them young children, have died since December on their way to al-Hol camp in northeastern Syria after fleeing Islamic State in the Deir al-Zor region, the United Nations said on Friday.

At least 84 people, two-thirds of them young children, have died since December on their way to al-Hol camp in northeastern Syria after fleeing Islamic State in the Deir al-Zor region, the United Nations said on Friday. The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) has been poised for several weeks to wipe out the last vestige of Islamic State's territorial rule at the besieged village of Baghouz near the Iraqi border, but the operation has been held up by efforts to evacuate thousands of civilians. The United Nations is "gravely concerned" about the plight of thousands of civilians fleeing the last ISIL-held areas of Baghouz in rural Deir al-Zor province after intense fighting, Jens Laerke, spokesman of the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), told a news briefing. Al-Hol camp, in northeastern Hasaka province, now holds at least 45,000 people, including 13,000 people who fled Deir al-Zor last week, he said. "Many of them have arrived exhausted, hungry and sick," he said, adding that nine out of 10 were women and children. "It's a very long, a very tiring journey to this camp, so far have reports of more than 84 deaths on that road, on that stretch of territory. Two-thirds of those who have died are children under five years of age," Laerke said. Some 175 children have been hospitalised due to severe acute malnutrition, a life-threatening form of the disease, he said, citing reports from U.N. agencies and aid groups on the ground.

At least 84 people, two-thirds young children, died on way to al-Hol camp in Syria: UN

In pre-war Syria, Safaa Al-Kurdi sold wedding dresses. Fed up with the conflict, the mother-of-three fled Damascus four years ago and sought asylum in Moscow. Now, Russia is saying she must go home.&nbsp;

Safaa is one of thousands of Syrian refugees that Russia, an ally of President Bashar al-Assad, is urging to return. Large parts of Syria are safe, Russian officials say, and there is no reason for asylum seekers like Safaa, 55, to remain.&nbsp;

The Russian stance is creating problems for Syrians here who are seeing their asylum requests rejected. Banned from working, they face the threat of arrest and deportation.&nbsp;

"Since my children are there and Syria is my country, I would naturally like to return," Safaa, whose two eldest sons were drafted into the Syrian army, said through tears.&nbsp;

"But it`s not possible for anyone to return in this situation. People know that there is poverty, that people are dying of cold or from hunger, or from bombing."

According to the UN refugee agency, nearly 5.5 million Syrians have fled a war that has raged over seven years.

In 2015, when Moscow launched a military operation in Syria, Russia granted temporary asylum to 1,924 Syrians.

That number has fallen every year since, according to statistics agency Rosstat, hitting a low of 823 asylum applications in 2018.

The Civil Assistance Committee, an NGO working with refugees, says Russia wants the Syrians out.&nbsp;

"DON`T COME BACK"&nbsp;

"Most of them get rejected, and the ones that don`t are told, We warn you, this is the last time we will extend your documents, next year don`t come back," said Yevgeny Yastrebov, a co-ordinator with the committee.

Some Syrians have already left, he said, adding that others are forced to bribe the police to stay.&nbsp;

"It`s a constant game of hide-and-seek you have to play with the government, which is not a fun thing to do if you have kids and you need to feed them," he said.

When Safaa left Damascus in 2015, she had a little money from selling her garments workshop. Her youngest son, Al-Amir, 23, followed her to Russia afterwards.

Their asylum applications have been repeatedly rejected and so far their appeals have also been refused.&nbsp;

With her savings gone, Safaa makes ends meet by selling jewellery at a Moscow market. Her son declines to talk about his employment situation for fear of official reprisals.&nbsp;

Their joint income is just enough to rent a small apartment in a village some 50 km (31 miles) east of Moscow.

"I want to stay for a while before returning, I want to try to save a little bit of money to be able to open a little venture, to be able to live off of it in Syria," said Safaa.

When her asylum appeal process is exhausted, she says she will return home, but wants her son to stay away from Syria.&nbsp;

"Life is not possible there. It`s like the war is over but it`s not over at the same time."

In pre-war Syria, Safaa Al-Kurdi sold wedding dresses. Fed up with the conflict, the mother-of-three fled Damascus four years ago and sought asylum in Moscow. Now, Russia is saying she must go home.

In pre-war Syria, Safaa Al-Kurdi sold wedding dresses. Fed up with the conflict, the mother-of-three fled Damascus four years ago and sought asylum in Moscow. Now, Russia is saying she must go home. Safaa is one of thousands of Syrian refugees that Russia, an ally of President Bashar al-Assad, is urging to return. Large parts of Syria are safe, Russian officials say, and there is no reason for asylum seekers like Safaa, 55, to remain. The Russian stance is creating problems for Syrians here who are seeing their asylum requests rejected. Banned from working, they face the threat of arrest and deportation. "Since my children are there and Syria is my country, I would naturally like to return," Safaa, whose two eldest sons were drafted into the Syrian army, said through tears. "But it`s not possible for anyone to return in this situation. People know that there is poverty, that people are dying of cold or from hunger, or from bombing." According to the UN refugee agency, nearly 5.5 million Syrians have fled a war that has raged over seven years. In 2015, when Moscow launched a military operation in Syria, Russia granted temporary asylum to 1,924 Syrians. That number has fallen every year since, according to statistics agency Rosstat, hitting a low of 823 asylum applications in 2018. The Civil Assistance Committee, an NGO working with refugees, says Russia wants the Syrians out. "DON`T COME BACK" "Most of them get rejected, and the ones that don`t are told, We warn you, this is the last time we will extend your documents, next year don`t come back," said Yevgeny Yastrebov, a co-ordinator with the committee. Some Syrians have already left, he said, adding that others are forced to bribe the police to stay. "It`s a constant game of hide-and-seek you have to play with the government, which is not a fun thing to do if you have kids and you need to feed them," he said. When Safaa left Damascus in 2015, she had a little money from selling her garments workshop. Her youngest son, Al-Amir, 23, followed her to Russia afterwards. Their asylum applications have been repeatedly rejected and so far their appeals have also been refused. With her savings gone, Safaa makes ends meet by selling jewellery at a Moscow market. Her son declines to talk about his employment situation for fear of official reprisals. Their joint income is just enough to rent a small apartment in a village some 50 km (31 miles) east of Moscow. "I want to stay for a while before returning, I want to try to save a little bit of money to be able to open a little venture, to be able to live off of it in Syria," said Safaa. When her asylum appeal process is exhausted, she says she will return home, but wants her son to stay away from Syria. "Life is not possible there. It`s like the war is over but it`s not over at the same time."

Russia tells Syrian asylum seekers: You need to go home

A mass grave containing the bodies of dozens of people who may be Yazidis enslaved by Islamic State has been found in territory recently seized by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), an SDF official said on Thursday.

Many of the bodies found in the Baghouz area were those of women. "They were slaughtered," SDF commander Adnan Afrin said. Most had been decapitated, he added.

The SDF was still trying to confirm if the bodies belonged to members of the Yazidi sect.

Thousands of members of the minority sect from Iraq were forced into sexual slavery by the jihadists when they surged across the border in 2014 and seized swathes of territory.

More than 3,000 other Yazidis were killed in an onslaught the United Nations later described as genocidal, which prompted the first US&nbsp;air strikes against Islamic State. Thousands more fled on foot and many of them remain displaced more than four years later.

The SDF, the main partner of the US-led coalition against Islamic State in Syria, has been trying to evacuate thousands of civilians in Baghouz before storming it or forcing the surrender of the remaining jihadists, who the SDF has said are mostly foreigners.

It said earlier on Thursday that it had freed 24 of its fighters held by Islamic State in Baghouz but gave no details about how they were recovered.

Thousands of people of many nationalities have streamed out of the final shred of land in recent weeks, an exodus of both its supporters and victims, surpassing initial estimates and delaying an end to the battle.

A mass grave containing the bodies of dozens of people who may be Yazidis enslaved by Islamic State has been found in territory recently seized by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), an SDF official said on Thursday.

A mass grave containing the bodies of dozens of people who may be Yazidis enslaved by Islamic State has been found in territory recently seized by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), an SDF official said on Thursday. Many of the bodies found in the Baghouz area were those of women. "They were slaughtered," SDF commander Adnan Afrin said. Most had been decapitated, he added. The SDF was still trying to confirm if the bodies belonged to members of the Yazidi sect. Thousands of members of the minority sect from Iraq were forced into sexual slavery by the jihadists when they surged across the border in 2014 and seized swathes of territory. More than 3,000 other Yazidis were killed in an onslaught the United Nations later described as genocidal, which prompted the first US air strikes against Islamic State. Thousands more fled on foot and many of them remain displaced more than four years later. The SDF, the main partner of the US-led coalition against Islamic State in Syria, has been trying to evacuate thousands of civilians in Baghouz before storming it or forcing the surrender of the remaining jihadists, who the SDF has said are mostly foreigners. It said earlier on Thursday that it had freed 24 of its fighters held by Islamic State in Baghouz but gave no details about how they were recovered. Thousands of people of many nationalities have streamed out of the final shred of land in recent weeks, an exodus of both its supporters and victims, surpassing initial estimates and delaying an end to the battle.

Mass grave found in last Islamic State bastion: Syrian Democratic Forces

The father of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/uk-teen-runaway-who-joined-is-wants-to-come-home-197390">London teenager Shamima Begum</a>, who married an Islamic State group militant in Syria, insisted in an interview with AFP on Monday that Britain must take her back before deciding any punishment.

Begum, who gave <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/uk-teen-who-joined-is-has-given-birth-in-syria-family-197927">birth this month in a refugee camp</a>, has said she wants to come home -- but the British government has decided to revoke her citizenship, calling her a security threat.

The 19-year-old's father Ahmed Ali said that while his daughter had made mistakes, Britain was duty-bound to let her return.

"The <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/bangladesh-says-is-teen-shamima-begum-not-eligible-for-citizenship-198689">British government should take her back</a> because she is a British citizen," said Ali, who has been following Begum's plight from a remote village in northeastern Bangladesh.

"If she has committed any crime, they should bring her back to London, to her country, and punish her there."

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/family-of-is-teen-shamima-begum-to-fight-uk-decision-to-strip-citizenship-198973">Begum left the UK for Syria with two school friends in 2015</a>, when she was just 15, and her case has caused political divisions in Britain.

It highlights a dilemma facing many European countries, divided over whether to allow jihadists and IS sympathisers home to face prosecution or bar them as the so-called "caliphate" crumbles.

Public sentiment hardened against Begum after she showed little remorse about IS attacks in media interviews from the camp in eastern Syria, where she arrived after fleeing fighting between the terror group and US-backed forces.

Ali, 60, said comments he had made to a London newspaper saying he backed UK interior minister Sajid Javid's decision to strip Begum of her nationality had been "misinterpreted".

"I don't think that (to revoke Begum's citizenship) was a right thing to do," he said.

"To err is human. You and I can both can make a mistake. It is OK to commit an error, all humans do that. One feels sad if a child commits a mistake," he told AFP.

Ali, who lives with his second wife in the village of Daorai in Sunamganj district, said he felt sorry for his daughter and believed she may have been brainwashed into joining IS.

"It was certainly a mistake to go to IS. Perhaps it was because she was a child. She may not have gone there (Syria) willingly. She may have been ill-advised by other people," he said.

Ahmed last saw his daughter in Britain just two months before she fled to Syria with Kadiza Sultana and Amira Abase in March 2015.

He says she did not show any sign of having been radicalised. "I did not see any such thing at all."&nbsp;

He also highlighted how the Bangladesh government has declared that Begum would not be allowed into the country.

The British government reportedly believes that Begum was entitled to claim Bangladesh citizenship, though this is disputed by the South Asian country.

"She can't come to Bangladesh since she is not a citizen of this country," he said.

Tasnime Akunjee, a lawyer for Begum's family, earlier said the teenager was born in Britain and had never had a Bangladeshi passport.

The father of London teenager Shamima Begum, who married an Islamic State group militant in Syria, insisted in an interview with AFP on Monday that Britain must take her back before deciding any punishment.

The father of London teenager Shamima Begum, who married an Islamic State group militant in Syria, insisted in an interview with AFP on Monday that Britain must take her back before deciding any punishment. Begum, who gave birth this month in a refugee camp, has said she wants to come home -- but the British government has decided to revoke her citizenship, calling her a security threat. The 19-year-old's father Ahmed Ali said that while his daughter had made mistakes, Britain was duty-bound to let her return. "The British government should take her back because she is a British citizen," said Ali, who has been following Begum's plight from a remote village in northeastern Bangladesh. "If she has committed any crime, they should bring her back to London, to her country, and punish her there." Begum left the UK for Syria with two school friends in 2015, when she was just 15, and her case has caused political divisions in Britain. It highlights a dilemma facing many European countries, divided over whether to allow jihadists and IS sympathisers home to face prosecution or bar them as the so-called "caliphate" crumbles. Public sentiment hardened against Begum after she showed little remorse about IS attacks in media interviews from the camp in eastern Syria, where she arrived after fleeing fighting between the terror group and US-backed forces. Ali, 60, said comments he had made to a London newspaper saying he backed UK interior minister Sajid Javid's decision to strip Begum of her nationality had been "misinterpreted". "I don't think that (to revoke Begum's citizenship) was a right thing to do," he said. "To err is human. You and I can both can make a mistake. It is OK to commit an error, all humans do that. One feels sad if a child commits a mistake," he told AFP. Ali, who lives with his second wife in the village of Daorai in Sunamganj district, said he felt sorry for his daughter and believed she may have been brainwashed into joining IS. "It was certainly a mistake to go to IS. Perhaps it was because she was a child. She may not have gone there (Syria) willingly. She may have been ill-advised by other people," he said. Ahmed last saw his daughter in Britain just two months before she fled to Syria with Kadiza Sultana and Amira Abase in March 2015. He says she did not show any sign of having been radicalised. "I did not see any such thing at all." He also highlighted how the Bangladesh government has declared that Begum would not be allowed into the country. The British government reportedly believes that Begum was entitled to claim Bangladesh citizenship, though this is disputed by the South Asian country. "She can't come to Bangladesh since she is not a citizen of this country," he said. Tasnime Akunjee, a lawyer for Begum's family, earlier said the teenager was born in Britain and had never had a Bangladeshi passport.

Bangladesh: Father of Islamic State teen Shamima Begum says Britain must take her back

US-backed Syrian forces warned Sunday they were struggling to cope with an outpouring of foreigners from the Islamic State group's imploding "caliphate", urging governments to take responsibility for their citizens.

The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces have evacuated nearly 5,000 men, women and children from the jihadist redoubt since Wednesday, moving closer to retaking the last sliver of territory under IS control.

"The numbers of foreign fighters and their relatives that we are holding is increasing drastically," Kurdish foreign affairs official Abdel Karim Omar told AFP.

"Our current infrastructure can't handle the mass influx", he said.

Syria's Kurds have repeatedly called on foreign countries to repatriate their citizens, but most have been reluctant to allow battle-hardened jihadists and their relatives back home due to security concerns.

At the height of its rule, IS imposed its brutal interpretation of Islamic law across territory straddling Syria and Iraq that was roughly the size of the United Kingdom.

But more than four years after IS declared a cross-border "caliphate", the jihadists have lost all but a tiny patch of land in the village of Baghouz near the Iraqi border.

After years of fighting IS, Syria's Kurds say they hold hundreds of suspected IS fighters and their relatives.

"As thousands of foreigners flee Daesh's crumbling caliphate, the burden which is already too heavy for us to handle is getting even heavier," SDF spokesman Mustefa Bali said on Twitter late Saturday, using an Arabic acronym for IS.

"This will remain as the biggest challenge awaiting us unless governments take action and fulfil their responsibilities for their citizens," he said.

No evacuations were reported from the enclave on Saturday, but the two batches that left on Wednesday and Friday included Europeans, Iraqis and nationals of former Soviet countries, according to the SDF.&nbsp;

Crammed prisons&nbsp;

Around 46,000 people, including a large number of foreigners, have streamed out of IS's shrinking territory since early December, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor.

While civilians are trucked north to Kurdish-run camps for the displaced, suspected jihadists are sent to SDF-controlled prisons.

Omar said SDF "detention centres can't accommodate all the fighters" coming out of the last IS pocket.

The evacuation of men, women and children has put a strain on Kurdish-run camps for the displaced, especially the Al Hol camp, which now shelters more than 40,000 people.

"There is a lot of pressure on us, especially in Al Hol, where in addition to the relatives of IS fighters you have a large displaced population," Omar said.

On Thursday, nearly 2,500 evacuees arrived at Al Hol, compounding already dire conditions inside the crammed settlement, the UN's humanitarian coordination office OCHA said.

"Thousands more are expected in coming hours/days at Al-Hol camp, putting a further strain on basic services," it tweeted Friday.&nbsp;

"This sudden influx presents huge challenges to the response -- additional tents, non-food items, water and sanitation and health supplies are urgently needed."

The International Rescue Committee on Friday said 69 people, mostly children, had died on the way to Al-Hol, or shortly after arriving in past weeks.

Security concerns

The battle for Baghouz is now the only live front in Syria's war, which has killed more than 360,000 people and displaced millions since 2011.

The SDF say they are trying to evacuate remaining civilians through a corridor before pressing on with a battle to crush the jihadists unless holdout fighters surrender.

Some 2,000 people are believed to remain inside Baghouz, including foreigners, according to the US-backed force.

Many European countries are now confronted with the dilemma of whether to bring back their citizens who travelled to join the group and prosecute them at home, or bar them from entry over security concerns.

On Friday, the family of Shamima Begum, 19, said it would challenge the British government's decision to revoke her citizenship.

Begum, who travelled to Syria in 2015 aged just 15, faced being left stateless after Britain revoked her citizenship, and Bangladesh, where her parents are from, said it did not want her.

On Thursday, the father of Hoda Muthana, 24, sued to bring her home after President Donald Trump's administration declared she was not a US citizen.

US-backed Syrian forces warned Sunday they were struggling to cope with an outpouring of foreigners from the Islamic State group's imploding "caliphate", urging governments to take responsibility for their citizens.

US-backed Syrian forces warned Sunday they were struggling to cope with an outpouring of foreigners from the Islamic State group's imploding "caliphate", urging governments to take responsibility for their citizens. The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces have evacuated nearly 5,000 men, women and children from the jihadist redoubt since Wednesday, moving closer to retaking the last sliver of territory under IS control. "The numbers of foreign fighters and their relatives that we are holding is increasing drastically," Kurdish foreign affairs official Abdel Karim Omar told AFP. "Our current infrastructure can't handle the mass influx", he said. Syria's Kurds have repeatedly called on foreign countries to repatriate their citizens, but most have been reluctant to allow battle-hardened jihadists and their relatives back home due to security concerns. At the height of its rule, IS imposed its brutal interpretation of Islamic law across territory straddling Syria and Iraq that was roughly the size of the United Kingdom. But more than four years after IS declared a cross-border "caliphate", the jihadists have lost all but a tiny patch of land in the village of Baghouz near the Iraqi border. After years of fighting IS, Syria's Kurds say they hold hundreds of suspected IS fighters and their relatives. "As thousands of foreigners flee Daesh's crumbling caliphate, the burden which is already too heavy for us to handle is getting even heavier," SDF spokesman Mustefa Bali said on Twitter late Saturday, using an Arabic acronym for IS. "This will remain as the biggest challenge awaiting us unless governments take action and fulfil their responsibilities for their citizens," he said. No evacuations were reported from the enclave on Saturday, but the two batches that left on Wednesday and Friday included Europeans, Iraqis and nationals of former Soviet countries, according to the SDF. Crammed prisons Around 46,000 people, including a large number of foreigners, have streamed out of IS's shrinking territory since early December, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor. While civilians are trucked north to Kurdish-run camps for the displaced, suspected jihadists are sent to SDF-controlled prisons. Omar said SDF "detention centres can't accommodate all the fighters" coming out of the last IS pocket. The evacuation of men, women and children has put a strain on Kurdish-run camps for the displaced, especially the Al Hol camp, which now shelters more than 40,000 people. "There is a lot of pressure on us, especially in Al Hol, where in addition to the relatives of IS fighters you have a large displaced population," Omar said. On Thursday, nearly 2,500 evacuees arrived at Al Hol, compounding already dire conditions inside the crammed settlement, the UN's humanitarian coordination office OCHA said. "Thousands more are expected in coming hours/days at Al-Hol camp, putting a further strain on basic services," it tweeted Friday. "This sudden influx presents huge challenges to the response -- additional tents, non-food items, water and sanitation and health supplies are urgently needed." The International Rescue Committee on Friday said 69 people, mostly children, had died on the way to Al-Hol, or shortly after arriving in past weeks. Security concerns The battle for Baghouz is now the only live front in Syria's war, which has killed more than 360,000 people and displaced millions since 2011. The SDF say they are trying to evacuate remaining civilians through a corridor before pressing on with a battle to crush the jihadists unless holdout fighters surrender. Some 2,000 people are believed to remain inside Baghouz, including foreigners, according to the US-backed force. Many European countries are now confronted with the dilemma of whether to bring back their citizens who travelled to join the group and prosecute them at home, or bar them from entry over security concerns. On Friday, the family of Shamima Begum, 19, said it would challenge the British government's decision to revoke her citizenship. Begum, who travelled to Syria in 2015 aged just 15, faced being left stateless after Britain revoked her citizenship, and Bangladesh, where her parents are from, said it did not want her. On Thursday, the father of Hoda Muthana, 24, sued to bring her home after President Donald Trump's administration declared she was not a US citizen.

Exodus from last Islamic State enclave overwhelms Syria force

The father of an Alabama woman who fled to Syria to marry an Islamic State fighter filed a lawsuit against Donald Trump's administration over her right to return with her 18-month-old baby after the US president said she will not be allowed back on American soil.

Hoda Muthana, 24, joined the Islamic State, also known as ISIS, in 2014 after telling her parents she was going to Atlanta, Georgia, as part of a field trip connected with her business studies at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Instead, she withdrew from college and used her tuition reimbursement to purchase a plane ticket to Turkey, according to court documents.&nbsp;

From Turkey, she traveled to Syria, where she married twice, both times to ISIS fighters who later died in combat. Muthana fled to the al-Hawl refugee camp in December last year amid the collapse of the ISIS caliphate in Syria and Iraq.&nbsp;

"I have instructed Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and he fully agrees, not to allow Hoda Muthana back into the Country!" Trump tweeted on Wednesday.

"She does not have any legal basis, no valid US&nbsp;Passport, no right to a passport, nor any visa to travel to the United States," Pompeo said in a statement. "We continue to strongly advise all US&nbsp;Citizens not to travel to Syria."

Ahmed Ali Muthana filed the lawsuit Thursday, accusing the Trump administration of an "unlawful attempt" to revoke Hoda Muthana's citizenship.

Muthana has said she is willing to face federal charges upon her return. 
But Trump has ordered officials to bar the former IS propagandist from entering the US.

The lawsuit emphasises that the woman's father is not arguing against any prosecution from the US government over her actions in Syria, but wants lawful recognition of her US citizenship and the citizenship of her child.

Muthana has "publicly acknowledged her actions and accepted full responsibility," a statement announcing the lawsuit said.

"In Ms Muthana's words, she recognises that she has 'ruined' her own life, but she does not want to ruin the life of her young child."

Pompeo said on Wednesday that Muthana had no "legal basis" or "right" to a passport or any US visa.

Pompeo confirmed her father's prior status as a Yemeni diplomat for the United Nations was behind the administration's decision.

Under US law, the children of diplomats are not considered US citizens.

The exact timeline of when Ahmed Ali Muthana stopped serving as a diplomat and when his daughter was born is now being contested by the Trump administration.

The family maintains Muthana was previously recognised as a citizen by the US Department of State and given a US passport in 2004.

Earlier this week, Muthana's lawyer, Hassan Shibly, shared a photo on Twitter of what he said was her US birth certificate.&nbsp;

The case has similarities to that of UK-born teenager Shamima Begum who has been stripped of her British citizenship. Begum fled London to join ISIS in 2015 but is now seeking to return to the UK.&nbsp;

The father of an Alabama woman who fled to Syria to marry an Islamic State fighter filed a lawsuit against Donald Trump's administration over her right to return with her 18-month-old baby after the US president said she will not be allowed back on American soil.

The father of an Alabama woman who fled to Syria to marry an Islamic State fighter filed a lawsuit against Donald Trump's administration over her right to return with her 18-month-old baby after the US president said she will not be allowed back on American soil. Hoda Muthana, 24, joined the Islamic State, also known as ISIS, in 2014 after telling her parents she was going to Atlanta, Georgia, as part of a field trip connected with her business studies at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Instead, she withdrew from college and used her tuition reimbursement to purchase a plane ticket to Turkey, according to court documents. From Turkey, she traveled to Syria, where she married twice, both times to ISIS fighters who later died in combat. Muthana fled to the al-Hawl refugee camp in December last year amid the collapse of the ISIS caliphate in Syria and Iraq. "I have instructed Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and he fully agrees, not to allow Hoda Muthana back into the Country!" Trump tweeted on Wednesday. "She does not have any legal basis, no valid US Passport, no right to a passport, nor any visa to travel to the United States," Pompeo said in a statement. "We continue to strongly advise all US Citizens not to travel to Syria." Ahmed Ali Muthana filed the lawsuit Thursday, accusing the Trump administration of an "unlawful attempt" to revoke Hoda Muthana's citizenship. Muthana has said she is willing to face federal charges upon her return. But Trump has ordered officials to bar the former IS propagandist from entering the US. The lawsuit emphasises that the woman's father is not arguing against any prosecution from the US government over her actions in Syria, but wants lawful recognition of her US citizenship and the citizenship of her child. Muthana has "publicly acknowledged her actions and accepted full responsibility," a statement announcing the lawsuit said. "In Ms Muthana's words, she recognises that she has 'ruined' her own life, but she does not want to ruin the life of her young child." Pompeo said on Wednesday that Muthana had no "legal basis" or "right" to a passport or any US visa. Pompeo confirmed her father's prior status as a Yemeni diplomat for the United Nations was behind the administration's decision. Under US law, the children of diplomats are not considered US citizens. The exact timeline of when Ahmed Ali Muthana stopped serving as a diplomat and when his daughter was born is now being contested by the Trump administration. The family maintains Muthana was previously recognised as a citizen by the US Department of State and given a US passport in 2004. Earlier this week, Muthana's lawyer, Hassan Shibly, shared a photo on Twitter of what he said was her US birth certificate. The case has similarities to that of UK-born teenager Shamima Begum who has been stripped of her British citizenship. Begum fled London to join ISIS in 2015 but is now seeking to return to the UK.

ISIS bride's family files lawsuit against Trump over her right to return to America

"My son will grow up to become a jihadist," a woman cried proudly as she stepped off a bus ferrying people out of the Islamic State group's last sliver of territory in eastern Syria.&nbsp;

Defiant and angry, she is one of 2,000 people evacuated Friday from the jihadists' final scrap of territory in the village of Baghouz near the Iraqi border.

At a screening point run by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces close to the village, women clad in black sat on the barren desert floor waiting to be searched by the Kurdish-led fighters.&nbsp;

When asked where they came from, a group of three veiled women sitting on the rocky terrain said they were "followers" of IS's so-called "caliphate".&nbsp;

One of them, who refused to give her name but said she was Syrian and originally from the area, burst with anger when asked about the desperate conditions among the holdout jihadists.

"Who says we were hungry?" she asked, while gently nursing a newborn baby.

"In a house that has dates, the resident doesn't go hungry," she added.

Like many of those with her, she refused to acknowledge the steadily approaching end of IS's so-called "caliphate".&nbsp;

Declared across swathes of Syria and Iraq in 2014, the proto-state once the size of the United Kingdom has been rolled back to just a few blocks of homes in the desert hamlet.

She insisted the jihadists had only "stumbled", adding she never wanted to leave their final patch of territory.

"Had the caliph not ordered it, we would not have left," she said, referring to IS supremo Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi who remains at large.

"I hope the Islamic caliphate will return and spread across all corners of the globe."&nbsp;

'Proud he's our caliph'

US-backed forces have evacuated nearly 5,000 men, women and children from the jihadist holdout since Wednesday, bringing the SDF closer to retaking the less than half a square kilometre still under IS control.

The SDF is trying to pull out the remaining civilians before pressing on with a final push to crush the jihadists unless they surrender first.

Amid the wails of hungry infants at the screening point, another Syrian woman was similarly bold and unapologetic.

"We were scared of air strikes and nothing else," said Umm Abdul Rahman, from the southern province of Daraa, referring to life inside IS-held Baghouz.&nbsp;

"We feel very bad right now, but the Islamic caliphate, God willing, will not be defeated," said the 25-year-old.&nbsp;

She said she quit the redoubt with her husband, a wounded jihadist who she claimed has not fought in the battle for years.&nbsp;

"We were comfortable" in Baghouz, she said.

When asked about IS leader Baghdadi, she said she was "proud he's our caliph".

"We used to only listen to his speeches," she said, suggesting she had not seen him in person.&nbsp;

After all, "he is the caliph and of course he is being monitored by everyone", she added.&nbsp;

"Is it possible for him to just appear in person?" she asked rhetorically.&nbsp;

Pronounced dead on several occasions, Baghdadi has not been seen in public since he declared the "caliphate" in 2014.

An Iraqi intelligence official said in May that Baghdadi was still alive, and likely to be in Syrian territory along the Iraqi border.

SDF officials have said he is not believed to be among the jihadists holed up in Baghouz.

'We are weak'

At the SDF search point, the US-backed fighters separated the women from the men, who stood in a queue waiting to be searched.

Female SDF fighters nearby patted down the female evacuees, most of whom were fully veiled, as their children played on the rocky ochre terrain.

"(The SDF) wants to launch a (military) campaign and we are weak," said one woman, when asked why so many were pouring out of the village.

"We women are weak," she added.&nbsp;

Other women said the exodus was because life inside the IS redoubt was unbearable.

"You can't live inside and you can't even get out", said Sabah Mohammad Chehab, a Syrian in her twenties.

Originally from the northern city of Aleppo, she said smugglers are charging up to $2,000 (1,760 euros) to get people out shrinking patch.

"We are happy to have made it out," she said.

"My son will grow up to become a jihadist," a woman cried proudly as she stepped off a bus ferrying people out of the Islamic State group's last sliver of territory in eastern Syria.

"My son will grow up to become a jihadist," a woman cried proudly as she stepped off a bus ferrying people out of the Islamic State group's last sliver of territory in eastern Syria. Defiant and angry, she is one of 2,000 people evacuated Friday from the jihadists' final scrap of territory in the village of Baghouz near the Iraqi border. At a screening point run by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces close to the village, women clad in black sat on the barren desert floor waiting to be searched by the Kurdish-led fighters. When asked where they came from, a group of three veiled women sitting on the rocky terrain said they were "followers" of IS's so-called "caliphate". One of them, who refused to give her name but said she was Syrian and originally from the area, burst with anger when asked about the desperate conditions among the holdout jihadists. "Who says we were hungry?" she asked, while gently nursing a newborn baby. "In a house that has dates, the resident doesn't go hungry," she added. Like many of those with her, she refused to acknowledge the steadily approaching end of IS's so-called "caliphate". Declared across swathes of Syria and Iraq in 2014, the proto-state once the size of the United Kingdom has been rolled back to just a few blocks of homes in the desert hamlet. She insisted the jihadists had only "stumbled", adding she never wanted to leave their final patch of territory. "Had the caliph not ordered it, we would not have left," she said, referring to IS supremo Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi who remains at large. "I hope the Islamic caliphate will return and spread across all corners of the globe." 'Proud he's our caliph' US-backed forces have evacuated nearly 5,000 men, women and children from the jihadist holdout since Wednesday, bringing the SDF closer to retaking the less than half a square kilometre still under IS control. The SDF is trying to pull out the remaining civilians before pressing on with a final push to crush the jihadists unless they surrender first. Amid the wails of hungry infants at the screening point, another Syrian woman was similarly bold and unapologetic. "We were scared of air strikes and nothing else," said Umm Abdul Rahman, from the southern province of Daraa, referring to life inside IS-held Baghouz. "We feel very bad right now, but the Islamic caliphate, God willing, will not be defeated," said the 25-year-old. She said she quit the redoubt with her husband, a wounded jihadist who she claimed has not fought in the battle for years. "We were comfortable" in Baghouz, she said. When asked about IS leader Baghdadi, she said she was "proud he's our caliph". "We used to only listen to his speeches," she said, suggesting she had not seen him in person. After all, "he is the caliph and of course he is being monitored by everyone", she added. "Is it possible for him to just appear in person?" she asked rhetorically. Pronounced dead on several occasions, Baghdadi has not been seen in public since he declared the "caliphate" in 2014. An Iraqi intelligence official said in May that Baghdadi was still alive, and likely to be in Syrian territory along the Iraqi border. SDF officials have said he is not believed to be among the jihadists holed up in Baghouz. 'We are weak' At the SDF search point, the US-backed fighters separated the women from the men, who stood in a queue waiting to be searched. Female SDF fighters nearby patted down the female evacuees, most of whom were fully veiled, as their children played on the rocky ochre terrain. "(The SDF) wants to launch a (military) campaign and we are weak," said one woman, when asked why so many were pouring out of the village. "We women are weak," she added. Other women said the exodus was because life inside the IS redoubt was unbearable. "You can't live inside and you can't even get out", said Sabah Mohammad Chehab, a Syrian in her twenties. Originally from the northern city of Aleppo, she said smugglers are charging up to $2,000 (1,760 euros) to get people out shrinking patch. "We are happy to have made it out," she said.

As 'caliphate' crumbles, Islamic State women remain defiant

The operation to destroy Islamic State's final vestige of rule in Iraq and Syria hit a temporary snag on Thursday, as an expected evacuation of the remaining civilians from its last enclave in eastern Syria did not go ahead.

The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which has steadily driven the jihadists down the Euphrates, has surrounded them at Baghouz near the Iraqi border, but does not want to mount a final attack until all civilians are out.

Iraqi sources said the SDF handed over more then 150 Iraqi and other foreign jihadists to Iraq on Thursday, under a deal involving a total of 502.

The SDF had expected to pull the last civilians from Baghouz on Thursday, but trucks it sent in left empty. "We can't get into details, but today no civilians came out," SDF official Mustafa Bali told Reuters.

Baghouz is all that remains for Islamic State in the Euphrates valley region that became its final populated stronghold in Iraq and Syria after it lost its major cities of Mosul and Raqqa in 2017.

The US-led coalition fighting Islamic State was verifying whether an air strike in Baghouz on Wednesday killed French jihadist Fabien Clain, who voiced the recording claiming the November 2015 attacks on Paris, U.S. and French sources said.

In the 2015 attacks, gunmen and suicide bombers killed 129 people in the French capital. "During coalition operations to regain the Islamic State's last bastion, it is possible indeed that Fabien Clain was killed," French Defence Minister Florence Parly said on her Twitter account.

France's military and foreign ministry declined comment.

The capture of Baghouz will nudge the eight-year-old Syrian war towards a new phase, with US&nbsp;President Donald Trump's pledge to withdraw troops leaving a security vacuum that other powers are seeking to fill.

Though the fall of Baghouz marks a milestone in the campaign against IS and the wider conflict in Syria, Islamic State is still seen as a major security threat.

The group has steadily turned to guerrilla warfare and still holds territory in a remote, sparsely populated area west of the Euphrates River - a part of Syria otherwise controlled by the Syrian government and its Russian and Iranian allies.

Bali told Reuters the SDF would attack Baghouz once the civilian evacuation was complete. He did not say how much more time was needed to finish off the remaining Islamic State militants, or give a new estimate of how many fighters remained.

The SDF has previously estimated several hundred fighters - believed mostly to be foreign jihadists - are still inside.

A Reuters witness saw warplanes in the sky over Baghouz on Thursday though there was no sound of fighting or shelling.

The US-led coalition said on Wednesday "the most hardened" jihadists remain in Baghouz.

More than 2,000 civilians left the enclave on Wednesday, the SDF said. It has said more than 20,000 civilians left Baghouz in the days leading up to the start of the SDF's final push to capture the enclave this month.

The SDF has not ruled out the possibility that some Islamic State fighters had left Baghouz with the civilians.

SDF and coalition forces are recording the names and questioning everyone who has left in the civilian convoys.

Many of the people who left the enclave in civilian convoys have been Iraqis, some of whom said they had crossed from Iraq into Syria as Iraqi government forces made gains against Islamic State on the other side of the frontier.

Facing the consequences

Two Iraqi military sources told Reuters the handover of Islamic State fighters on Thursday was the first of several.

"The majority of the fighters are Iraqi," said a military colonel whose unit is stationed at the Syrian border. "But we have a few foreigners."

Islamic State, whose leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi declared himself "caliph", or leader of all Muslims, in 2014, attracted members from all over the world, including many Western states.

A Turkish official said Turkey was doubling down its own security measures to make it harder for foreign fighters still in Syria or Iraq to pass through Turkey, noting that the threat was much greater than the 800 that the SDF says it is holding.

Western countries refusing to repatriate jihadists were not living up to their responsibilities and leaving countries like Turkey to face the consequences, the official added.

Britain has stripped the citizenship of a teenager who went to Syria aged 15 to join Islamic State. But interior minister Sajid Javid said he would not take a decision that would leave anyone stateless, after Bangladesh said it would not accept her.

US&nbsp;Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said a woman born in the United States who joined Islamic State did not qualify for US&nbsp;citizenship and had no legal basis to return to the country.

The operation to destroy Islamic State's final vestige of rule in Iraq and Syria hit a temporary snag on Thursday, as an expected evacuation of the remaining civilians from its last enclave in eastern Syria did not go ahead.

The operation to destroy Islamic State's final vestige of rule in Iraq and Syria hit a temporary snag on Thursday, as an expected evacuation of the remaining civilians from its last enclave in eastern Syria did not go ahead. The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which has steadily driven the jihadists down the Euphrates, has surrounded them at Baghouz near the Iraqi border, but does not want to mount a final attack until all civilians are out. Iraqi sources said the SDF handed over more then 150 Iraqi and other foreign jihadists to Iraq on Thursday, under a deal involving a total of 502. The SDF had expected to pull the last civilians from Baghouz on Thursday, but trucks it sent in left empty. "We can't get into details, but today no civilians came out," SDF official Mustafa Bali told Reuters. Baghouz is all that remains for Islamic State in the Euphrates valley region that became its final populated stronghold in Iraq and Syria after it lost its major cities of Mosul and Raqqa in 2017. The US-led coalition fighting Islamic State was verifying whether an air strike in Baghouz on Wednesday killed French jihadist Fabien Clain, who voiced the recording claiming the November 2015 attacks on Paris, U.S. and French sources said. In the 2015 attacks, gunmen and suicide bombers killed 129 people in the French capital. "During coalition operations to regain the Islamic State's last bastion, it is possible indeed that Fabien Clain was killed," French Defence Minister Florence Parly said on her Twitter account. France's military and foreign ministry declined comment. The capture of Baghouz will nudge the eight-year-old Syrian war towards a new phase, with US President Donald Trump's pledge to withdraw troops leaving a security vacuum that other powers are seeking to fill. Though the fall of Baghouz marks a milestone in the campaign against IS and the wider conflict in Syria, Islamic State is still seen as a major security threat. The group has steadily turned to guerrilla warfare and still holds territory in a remote, sparsely populated area west of the Euphrates River - a part of Syria otherwise controlled by the Syrian government and its Russian and Iranian allies. Bali told Reuters the SDF would attack Baghouz once the civilian evacuation was complete. He did not say how much more time was needed to finish off the remaining Islamic State militants, or give a new estimate of how many fighters remained. The SDF has previously estimated several hundred fighters - believed mostly to be foreign jihadists - are still inside. A Reuters witness saw warplanes in the sky over Baghouz on Thursday though there was no sound of fighting or shelling. The US-led coalition said on Wednesday "the most hardened" jihadists remain in Baghouz. More than 2,000 civilians left the enclave on Wednesday, the SDF said. It has said more than 20,000 civilians left Baghouz in the days leading up to the start of the SDF's final push to capture the enclave this month. The SDF has not ruled out the possibility that some Islamic State fighters had left Baghouz with the civilians. SDF and coalition forces are recording the names and questioning everyone who has left in the civilian convoys. Many of the people who left the enclave in civilian convoys have been Iraqis, some of whom said they had crossed from Iraq into Syria as Iraqi government forces made gains against Islamic State on the other side of the frontier. Facing the consequences Two Iraqi military sources told Reuters the handover of Islamic State fighters on Thursday was the first of several. "The majority of the fighters are Iraqi," said a military colonel whose unit is stationed at the Syrian border. "But we have a few foreigners." Islamic State, whose leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi declared himself "caliph", or leader of all Muslims, in 2014, attracted members from all over the world, including many Western states. A Turkish official said Turkey was doubling down its own security measures to make it harder for foreign fighters still in Syria or Iraq to pass through Turkey, noting that the threat was much greater than the 800 that the SDF says it is holding. Western countries refusing to repatriate jihadists were not living up to their responsibilities and leaving countries like Turkey to face the consequences, the official added. Britain has stripped the citizenship of a teenager who went to Syria aged 15 to join Islamic State. But interior minister Sajid Javid said he would not take a decision that would leave anyone stateless, after Bangladesh said it would not accept her. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said a woman born in the United States who joined Islamic State did not qualify for US citizenship and had no legal basis to return to the country.

Operation to end last IS Syria pocket hits evacuation snag

A teenager who was stripped of her British citizenship after leaving London to join the Islamic State group has asked the government to re-evaluate her case and show "a bit more mercy" as she seeks to return to Britain.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/bangladesh-says-is-teen-shamima-begum-not-eligible-for-citizenship-198689">Shamima Begum, 19, left to join IS</a> when she was 15 but now wants to come back. Her British citizenship was revoked on security grounds.

"I would like them (British politicians) to re-evaluate my case with a bit more mercy in their heart, you know," she told Sky News. Asked whether she could change or be rehabilitated, she said: "I am willing to change."

Begum was found in a detention camp in Syria last week, and her fate has sparked a dispute over the ramifications of leaving a 19-year-old mother with a jihadist fighter's child to fend for herself in a war zone.

A teenager who was stripped of her British citizenship after leaving London to join the Islamic State group has asked the government to re-evaluate her case and show "a bit more mercy" as she seeks to return to Britain.

A teenager who was stripped of her British citizenship after leaving London to join the Islamic State group has asked the government to re-evaluate her case and show "a bit more mercy" as she seeks to return to Britain. Shamima Begum, 19, left to join IS when she was 15 but now wants to come back. Her British citizenship was revoked on security grounds. "I would like them (British politicians) to re-evaluate my case with a bit more mercy in their heart, you know," she told Sky News. Asked whether she could change or be rehabilitated, she said: "I am willing to change." Begum was found in a detention camp in Syria last week, and her fate has sparked a dispute over the ramifications of leaving a 19-year-old mother with a jihadist fighter's child to fend for herself in a war zone.

Islamic State teen Begum asks UK to show 'more mercy'

The US military will keep around 200 troops in Syria after President Donald Trump's pullout from the war-torn country, the White House said Thursday.

"A small peace-keeping group of about 200 will remain in Syria for a period of time," White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said.

The announcement comes amid fierce criticism of Trump's decision to withdraw America's 2,000 or so troops from Syria by April 30, with members of his own Republican Party blasting the move.

In December, Trump declared victory over the Islamic State group in Syria, even though thousands of jihadists remain and fighting continues around their last holdout.&nbsp;

Critics have decried a number of possible outcomes from a precipitous withdrawal, including a Turkish attack on US-backed Kurdish forces and a resurgence of IS.

Sanders did not provide additional details, but the troops' "peace-keeping" designation could pave the way for European allies to commit forces for such a mission.

Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan visited Europe last week where he attempted to convince allies to maintain a troop presence in Syria after the US pulls out.&nbsp;

But he struggled to persuade other countries why they should risk their forces with America gone.

Trump earlier Thursday spoke with Turkish President Recep Erdogan, and the two men discussed Syria, according to a White House summary.

"The two presidents agreed to continue coordinating on the creation of a potential safe zone" in Syria, the readout said.

At the height of its rule, IS imposed its brutal ideology on a territory roughly the size of the United Kingdom, attracting thousands of supporters from abroad.

But the jihadists have since lost almost all their territory save for a tiny sliver of around half a square kilometer (a fifth of a square mile) in the eastern Syrian village of Baghouz.

The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are working towards evacuating civilians remaining in the holdout, so they can polish off the dying IS "caliphate" whether through an assault or a surrender deal.

Syria's Kurds have long demanded the repatriation of foreigners accused of belonging to IS in their custody, but their home countries have been reluctant.

US President Donald Trump said Wednesday he was barring a US-born former IS propagandist from returning home from Syria, where the conflict has killed more than 360,000 people and displaced millions since 2011.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Thursday that the diplomatic status of the father of Alabama woman Hoda Muthana means she is not a US citizen.

It came after a lawyer for the family of a teenager who fled London to join the jihadists when she was 15 said Britain was revoking her citizenship.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The US military will keep around 200 troops in Syria after President Donald Trump's pullout from the war-torn country, the White House said Thursday. "A small peace-keeping group of about 200 will remain in Syria for a period of time," White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said.

The US military will keep around 200 troops in Syria after President Donald Trump's pullout from the war-torn country, the White House said Thursday. "A small peace-keeping group of about 200 will remain in Syria for a period of time," White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said. The announcement comes amid fierce criticism of Trump's decision to withdraw America's 2,000 or so troops from Syria by April 30, with members of his own Republican Party blasting the move. In December, Trump declared victory over the Islamic State group in Syria, even though thousands of jihadists remain and fighting continues around their last holdout. Critics have decried a number of possible outcomes from a precipitous withdrawal, including a Turkish attack on US-backed Kurdish forces and a resurgence of IS. Sanders did not provide additional details, but the troops' "peace-keeping" designation could pave the way for European allies to commit forces for such a mission. Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan visited Europe last week where he attempted to convince allies to maintain a troop presence in Syria after the US pulls out. But he struggled to persuade other countries why they should risk their forces with America gone. Trump earlier Thursday spoke with Turkish President Recep Erdogan, and the two men discussed Syria, according to a White House summary. "The two presidents agreed to continue coordinating on the creation of a potential safe zone" in Syria, the readout said. At the height of its rule, IS imposed its brutal ideology on a territory roughly the size of the United Kingdom, attracting thousands of supporters from abroad. But the jihadists have since lost almost all their territory save for a tiny sliver of around half a square kilometer (a fifth of a square mile) in the eastern Syrian village of Baghouz. The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are working towards evacuating civilians remaining in the holdout, so they can polish off the dying IS "caliphate" whether through an assault or a surrender deal. Syria's Kurds have long demanded the repatriation of foreigners accused of belonging to IS in their custody, but their home countries have been reluctant. US President Donald Trump said Wednesday he was barring a US-born former IS propagandist from returning home from Syria, where the conflict has killed more than 360,000 people and displaced millions since 2011. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Thursday that the diplomatic status of the father of Alabama woman Hoda Muthana means she is not a US citizen. It came after a lawyer for the family of a teenager who fled London to join the jihadists when she was 15 said Britain was revoking her citizenship.

Around 200 US troops to remain in Syria after pullout: White House

The family of a London teenager who joined the Islamic State group in Syria said Friday it would challenge the British government's decision to revoke her citizenship.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/islamic-state-teen-begum-asks-uk-to-show-more-mercy-198901">Shamima Begum travelled to Syria in 2015</a> aged just 15 but has now fled the crumbling "caliphate" and says she wants to come home, after giving birth in a refugee camp last weekend.

A letter to interior minister Sajid Javid written by Begum's sister Renu on behalf of her family also called on the government to help bring her newborn son to Britain.

The fate of the 19-year-old has triggered a fierce debate in Britain, with the government telling her family this week that it was revoking her citizenship.

"We hope you understand our position in this respect and why we must, therefore, assist Shamima in challenging your decision to take away the one thing that is her only hope at rehabilitation, her British citizenship," the family's letter said.

Renu Begum's letter also asked Javid to help "in bringing my nephew home to us".

It said Shamima Begum's status would now be a matter for British courts to decide.

'Shocked' by decision

International law prevents a government from rendering a person stateless, but Britain reportedly believes that Begum also has Bangladeshi citizenship due to her parents, although she was born in Britain.

The Bangladeshi government said there was <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/bangladesh-says-is-teen-shamima-begum-not-eligible-for-citizenship-198689">"no question" of her being allowed to enter</a>, and there is a legal argument about whether simply having Bangladeshi parents bestows citizenship.

Begum's baby was born before she was told of the decision to revoke her citizenship, and is therefore British and has a right to return.

The teenager said she was "shocked" by Britain's decision, saying "if you take that away from me, I don't have anything. I don't think they are allowed to do that."

She has mentioned the possibility of applying for citizenship in the Netherlands because her husband, an IS fighter believed to be held by Kurdish forces in Syria, is a Dutch national.

'Set fire to nation's emotions'

Public sentiment hardened against Begum after she showed little remorse in initial interviews from the refugee camp.

Her family said on Friday they were "shocked and appalled" at the "vile comments" she made in the media.

"I have watched Shamima on our televisions open her mouth and set fire to our nation's emotions," said her sister's letter.

"These are not representative of British values, and my family entirely reject the comments she has made, but... we as her family cannot simply abandon her."

The family argued that it made "every fathomable effort" to prevent her from joining IS, which it called a "murderous and misogynistic cult".

Begum and two school friends fled her east London home to join the terror network four years ago.

With IS crumbling, many European countries are now having to confront whether to bring back its citizens who travelled to join the group and prosecute them at home, or bar them from entry over security concerns.

Some 400 people who joined IS in the early stages of the Syria conflict have since returned to Britain and around 40 of them have been prosecuted.

There are believed to be around 10 British women who travelled to support IS who are now refugees in Syria.

Opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn said on Tuesday that Begum should be allowed to return.

"Taking somebody's citizenship away is not the right thing to do. I think she should be brought back."

Javid told lawmakers Wednesday that revoking citizenship was "a powerful tool" not used lightly.&nbsp;

"But when someone turns their back on (our) fundamental values and supports terror they don't have an automatic right to return to the UK," he said.&nbsp;

He has previously said that more than 100 individuals had already been deprived of their British citizenship.

Javid hinted that Begum's newborn son -- her third child, after her previous son and daughter died in recent months -- could be treated differently.

"Children should not suffer, so if a parent does lose their British citizenship it does not affect the rights of their child," he said.

The family of a London teenager who joined the Islamic State group in Syria said Friday it would challenge the British government's decision to revoke her citizenship.

The family of a London teenager who joined the Islamic State group in Syria said Friday it would challenge the British government's decision to revoke her citizenship. Shamima Begum travelled to Syria in 2015 aged just 15 but has now fled the crumbling "caliphate" and says she wants to come home, after giving birth in a refugee camp last weekend. A letter to interior minister Sajid Javid written by Begum's sister Renu on behalf of her family also called on the government to help bring her newborn son to Britain. The fate of the 19-year-old has triggered a fierce debate in Britain, with the government telling her family this week that it was revoking her citizenship. "We hope you understand our position in this respect and why we must, therefore, assist Shamima in challenging your decision to take away the one thing that is her only hope at rehabilitation, her British citizenship," the family's letter said. Renu Begum's letter also asked Javid to help "in bringing my nephew home to us". It said Shamima Begum's status would now be a matter for British courts to decide. 'Shocked' by decision International law prevents a government from rendering a person stateless, but Britain reportedly believes that Begum also has Bangladeshi citizenship due to her parents, although she was born in Britain. The Bangladeshi government said there was "no question" of her being allowed to enter, and there is a legal argument about whether simply having Bangladeshi parents bestows citizenship. Begum's baby was born before she was told of the decision to revoke her citizenship, and is therefore British and has a right to return. The teenager said she was "shocked" by Britain's decision, saying "if you take that away from me, I don't have anything. I don't think they are allowed to do that." She has mentioned the possibility of applying for citizenship in the Netherlands because her husband, an IS fighter believed to be held by Kurdish forces in Syria, is a Dutch national. 'Set fire to nation's emotions' Public sentiment hardened against Begum after she showed little remorse in initial interviews from the refugee camp. Her family said on Friday they were "shocked and appalled" at the "vile comments" she made in the media. "I have watched Shamima on our televisions open her mouth and set fire to our nation's emotions," said her sister's letter. "These are not representative of British values, and my family entirely reject the comments she has made, but... we as her family cannot simply abandon her." The family argued that it made "every fathomable effort" to prevent her from joining IS, which it called a "murderous and misogynistic cult". Begum and two school friends fled her east London home to join the terror network four years ago. With IS crumbling, many European countries are now having to confront whether to bring back its citizens who travelled to join the group and prosecute them at home, or bar them from entry over security concerns. Some 400 people who joined IS in the early stages of the Syria conflict have since returned to Britain and around 40 of them have been prosecuted. There are believed to be around 10 British women who travelled to support IS who are now refugees in Syria. Opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn said on Tuesday that Begum should be allowed to return. "Taking somebody's citizenship away is not the right thing to do. I think she should be brought back." Javid told lawmakers Wednesday that revoking citizenship was "a powerful tool" not used lightly. "But when someone turns their back on (our) fundamental values and supports terror they don't have an automatic right to return to the UK," he said. He has previously said that more than 100 individuals had already been deprived of their British citizenship. Javid hinted that Begum's newborn son -- her third child, after her previous son and daughter died in recent months -- could be treated differently. "Children should not suffer, so if a parent does lose their British citizenship it does not affect the rights of their child," he said.

Family of IS teen Shamima Begum to fight UK decision to strip citizenship

A <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/british-government-to-strip-teen-who-joined-islamic-state-of-citizenship-lawyer-198405">British teen</a> who joined the Islamic State group has no claim to Bangladeshi nationality, Dhaka's foreign ministry said Wednesday, after the UK government decided to revoke her citizenship.

Shamima Begum, who travelled to Syria in 2015 and now wants to return to <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/islamic-state-teen-shocked-after-uk-revokes-her-citizenship-198523">Britain</a> after giving birth in a refugee camp in Syria last week, was stripped of her UK citizenship on Tuesday.

The Home Office reportedly believed that Begum was entitled to claim citizenship in Bangladesh -- a claim disputed by the South Asian country.

"Bangladesh asserts that Ms Shamima Begum is not a Bangladeshi citizen. She is a British citizen by birth and has never applied for dual nationality with Bangladesh," the foreign ministry said in a statement.

"It may also be mentioned that she never visited Bangladesh in the past despite her parental lineage. So, there is no question of her being allowed to enter into Bangladesh," it added.

Tasnime Akunjee, a lawyer for Begum's family, earlier said the teen was born in Britain and had never had a Bangladeshi passport.&nbsp;

A British teen who joined the Islamic State group has no claim to Bangladeshi nationality, Dhaka's foreign ministry said Wednesday, after the UK government decided to revoke her citizenship.

A British teen who joined the Islamic State group has no claim to Bangladeshi nationality, Dhaka's foreign ministry said Wednesday, after the UK government decided to revoke her citizenship. Shamima Begum, who travelled to Syria in 2015 and now wants to return to Britain after giving birth in a refugee camp in Syria last week, was stripped of her UK citizenship on Tuesday. The Home Office reportedly believed that Begum was entitled to claim citizenship in Bangladesh -- a claim disputed by the South Asian country. "Bangladesh asserts that Ms Shamima Begum is not a Bangladeshi citizen. She is a British citizen by birth and has never applied for dual nationality with Bangladesh," the foreign ministry said in a statement. "It may also be mentioned that she never visited Bangladesh in the past despite her parental lineage. So, there is no question of her being allowed to enter into Bangladesh," it added. Tasnime Akunjee, a lawyer for Begum's family, earlier said the teen was born in Britain and had never had a Bangladeshi passport.

Bangladesh says IS teen Shamima Begum not eligible for citizenship

US-backed Syrian forces tried Thursday to negotiate the release of civilians still trapped in the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/last-islamic-state-holdout-on-verge-of-defeat-in-east-syria-197782">Islamic State group's last redoubt</a>, as the international coalition warned the jihadists faced "inevitable defeat".

With scores of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/dozens-of-people-including-women-children-evacuated-from-last-is-holdout-in-syria-198622">IS families and their children have fled</a> the collapsing "caliphate" in past months, Western nations have been left facing a dilemma over how to handle their citizens now wishing to return home.

Hundreds of people including women and children were trucked out of the last patch of IS territory on Wednesday, but the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said that a large number of civilians remained inside.

The evacuations were seen as a sign the SDF would soon retake the last scrap of the "caliphate" the jihadists proclaimed across swathes of Syria and Iraq in 2014, whether through an assault or a surrender deal.

The Kurdish-led SDF, backed by the warplanes of the US-led coalition, have trapped the jihadists in less than half a square kilometre (a fifth of a square mile) in the village of Baghouz.

"Coalition forces, to include the US, continue to support the SDF as they negotiate to have innocent civilians released and their fighters returned with the inevitable defeat in Baghouz," coalition spokesman Sean Ryan told AFP.

There was no immediate comment from the SDF, which has previously identified the remaining civilians as mostly wives and children of IS fighters.

Food shortages

Paul Bradley, from the Free Burma Rangers volunteer group, said people who had fled the IS enclave painted a grim picture of life inside.

"They said the food situation was very bad," he said.

"They showed us this bread that's basically mashed up the wheat with water burnt on both sides, $16 a kilo," he said.

"And sugar was selling for $60 a kilo."

AFP correspondents on Wednesday saw at least 17 trucks carrying men, women and children out of the last patch of IS territory.

SDF spokesman Adnan Afrin said most of them were civilians, but they also included IS fighters.

"Civilians and fighters from many nationalities have surrendered," he said, without naming specific countries.

"There are still large groups of civilians inside, as well as IS fighters."

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, said Wednesday that negotiations were being held "for the surrender of the last IS fighters".

It said there were "reports of a deal" but the details were unclear.

At the height of its rule, IS imposed its brutal interpretation of Islamic law on a territory roughly the size of Britain.

But the jihadists have since lost almost all their territory, and hundreds of foreigners suspected of being IS fighters, as well as related women and children, are being held by the SDF.

Since early December, nearly 40,000 people have fled into SDF-held territory, according to the Observatory, which relies on a network of sources in Syria.&nbsp;

The SDF uses questioning, fingerprinting and retinal scans to identify potential jihadists.

Men suspected of belonging to IS are transferred to detention centres. Civilians, including wives and children of jihadists, are sent to camps for the displaced in northeastern Syria.

Security officials in Iraq said the SDF handed over 130 Iraqi jihadists to Iraq on Thursday, but SDF spokesman Mustefa Bali denied the claim.

Camps 'overwhelmed'

Syria's Kurds have long demanded the repatriation of the foreigners in their custody, but outside governments have proved reluctant.

US President Donald Trump said Wednesday he was barring a US-born former IS propagandist from returning home from Syria, where the conflict has killed more than 360,000 people and displaced millions since 2011.

Trump said on Twitter he has "instructed" Secretary of State Mike Pompeo "not to allow Hoda Muthana back into the country".

It came after a lawyer for the family of a teenager who fled London to join the jihadists when she was just 15 said Britain was revoking her citizenship.&nbsp;

Shamima Begum, 19, is being held in a refugee camp in northeast Syria, and at the weekend gave birth to her third child. Two previous children died at an early age.

Save the Children said more than 2,500 foreign children from 30 countries who have fled the dregs of the "caliphate" are living in desperate conditions in camps in northeastern Syria.

The charity urged their countries of origin to act "to ensure the safety of their citizens".

"They need specialised help to recover from their experiences and return to normality, together with their families," the charity said.

"The international community must act now before it is too late."

US-backed Syrian forces tried Thursday to negotiate the release of civilians still trapped in the Islamic State group's last redoubt, as the international coalition warned the jihadists faced "inevitable defeat".

US-backed Syrian forces tried Thursday to negotiate the release of civilians still trapped in the Islamic State group's last redoubt, as the international coalition warned the jihadists faced "inevitable defeat". With scores of IS families and their children have fled the collapsing "caliphate" in past months, Western nations have been left facing a dilemma over how to handle their citizens now wishing to return home. Hundreds of people including women and children were trucked out of the last patch of IS territory on Wednesday, but the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said that a large number of civilians remained inside. The evacuations were seen as a sign the SDF would soon retake the last scrap of the "caliphate" the jihadists proclaimed across swathes of Syria and Iraq in 2014, whether through an assault or a surrender deal. The Kurdish-led SDF, backed by the warplanes of the US-led coalition, have trapped the jihadists in less than half a square kilometre (a fifth of a square mile) in the village of Baghouz. "Coalition forces, to include the US, continue to support the SDF as they negotiate to have innocent civilians released and their fighters returned with the inevitable defeat in Baghouz," coalition spokesman Sean Ryan told AFP. There was no immediate comment from the SDF, which has previously identified the remaining civilians as mostly wives and children of IS fighters. Food shortages Paul Bradley, from the Free Burma Rangers volunteer group, said people who had fled the IS enclave painted a grim picture of life inside. "They said the food situation was very bad," he said. "They showed us this bread that's basically mashed up the wheat with water burnt on both sides, $16 a kilo," he said. "And sugar was selling for $60 a kilo." AFP correspondents on Wednesday saw at least 17 trucks carrying men, women and children out of the last patch of IS territory. SDF spokesman Adnan Afrin said most of them were civilians, but they also included IS fighters. "Civilians and fighters from many nationalities have surrendered," he said, without naming specific countries. "There are still large groups of civilians inside, as well as IS fighters." The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, said Wednesday that negotiations were being held "for the surrender of the last IS fighters". It said there were "reports of a deal" but the details were unclear. At the height of its rule, IS imposed its brutal interpretation of Islamic law on a territory roughly the size of Britain. But the jihadists have since lost almost all their territory, and hundreds of foreigners suspected of being IS fighters, as well as related women and children, are being held by the SDF. Since early December, nearly 40,000 people have fled into SDF-held territory, according to the Observatory, which relies on a network of sources in Syria. The SDF uses questioning, fingerprinting and retinal scans to identify potential jihadists. Men suspected of belonging to IS are transferred to detention centres. Civilians, including wives and children of jihadists, are sent to camps for the displaced in northeastern Syria. Security officials in Iraq said the SDF handed over 130 Iraqi jihadists to Iraq on Thursday, but SDF spokesman Mustefa Bali denied the claim. Camps 'overwhelmed' Syria's Kurds have long demanded the repatriation of the foreigners in their custody, but outside governments have proved reluctant. US President Donald Trump said Wednesday he was barring a US-born former IS propagandist from returning home from Syria, where the conflict has killed more than 360,000 people and displaced millions since 2011. Trump said on Twitter he has "instructed" Secretary of State Mike Pompeo "not to allow Hoda Muthana back into the country". It came after a lawyer for the family of a teenager who fled London to join the jihadists when she was just 15 said Britain was revoking her citizenship. Shamima Begum, 19, is being held in a refugee camp in northeast Syria, and at the weekend gave birth to her third child. Two previous children died at an early age. Save the Children said more than 2,500 foreign children from 30 countries who have fled the dregs of the "caliphate" are living in desperate conditions in camps in northeastern Syria. The charity urged their countries of origin to act "to ensure the safety of their citizens". "They need specialised help to recover from their experiences and return to normality, together with their families," the charity said. "The international community must act now before it is too late."

Syria forces try to free last civilians from Islamic State holdout

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/fire-kills-scores-in-bangladesh-capital-dhaka-official-198658">Massive fire kills 56 in Bangladesh capital Dhaka: Official</a>

At least 56 people have died in a huge fire that tore through apartment buildings also used as chemical warehouses in an old part of the Bangladeshi capital, a fire official said Thursday.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pulwama-attack-fallout-government-withdraws-security-of-18-more-separatists-in-kashmir-198656">Pulwama attack fallout: Government withdraws security of 18 more separatist Kashmiri leaders</a>

In the wake of the Pulwama attack, the government has withdrawn the security of 18 more separatist leaders in Jammu and Kashmir. This comes only a few days after the authorities revoked the security of moderate separatist leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/trump-threatens-tariffs-on-eu-if-no-trade-deal-reached-198659">Trump threatens tariffs on EU if no trade deal reached</a>

US President Donald Trump threatened Wednesday to impose tariffs on European auto imports if he is unable to strike a trade deal with the EU. "We're negotiating. If we don't make the deal, we'll do the tariffs," Trump told reporters in response to a question on new tariffs.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/woman-who-joined-islamic-state-cannot-return-to-us-pompeo-198655">Trump says US woman who joined Islamic State cannot return</a>

President Donald Trump said Wednesday he is barring a US-born former Islamic State propagandist from returning home, making the highly unusual case that she is not a US citizen.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modi-reaches-south-korea-for-two-day-visit-198663">Modi in South Korea on </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modi-reaches-south-korea-for-two-day-visit-198663">two-day</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modi-reaches-south-korea-for-two-day-visit-198663"> visit</a>

Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached Seoul early on Thursday morning on a two-day visit aimed at strengthening the special strategic partnership between South Korea and India and boosting bilateral trade and cultural ties.

Massive fire kills 56 in Bangladesh capital Dhaka: Official At least 56 people have died in a huge fire that tore through apartment buildings also used as chemical warehouses in an old part of the Bangladeshi capital, a fire official said Thursday.

Massive fire kills 56 in Bangladesh capital Dhaka: Official At least 56 people have died in a huge fire that tore through apartment buildings also used as chemical warehouses in an old part of the Bangladeshi capital, a fire official said Thursday. Pulwama attack fallout: Government withdraws security of 18 more separatist Kashmiri leaders In the wake of the Pulwama attack, the government has withdrawn the security of 18 more separatist leaders in Jammu and Kashmir. This comes only a few days after the authorities revoked the security of moderate separatist leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq. Trump threatens tariffs on EU if no trade deal reached US President Donald Trump threatened Wednesday to impose tariffs on European auto imports if he is unable to strike a trade deal with the EU. "We're negotiating. If we don't make the deal, we'll do the tariffs," Trump told reporters in response to a question on new tariffs. Trump says US woman who joined Islamic State cannot return President Donald Trump said Wednesday he is barring a US-born former Islamic State propagandist from returning home, making the highly unusual case that she is not a US citizen. Modi in South Korea on two-day visit Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached Seoul early on Thursday morning on a two-day visit aimed at strengthening the special strategic partnership between South Korea and India and boosting bilateral trade and cultural ties.

News brief: Big stories of the day

President Donald Trump said Wednesday he is barring a US-born former Islamic State propagandist from returning home, making the highly unusual case that she is not a US citizen.

Trump's refusal to admit 24-year-old Hoda Muthana comes just as <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/take-back-jihadists-trump-tells-europe-197895">he is pressing Europeans to repatriate their own Islamic State fighters</a> and will likely face legal challenges, with US citizenship extremely difficult to lose.

Trump said on Twitter he has "instructed" Secretary of State Mike Pompeo "not to allow Hoda Muthana back into the country" — a break with usual US protocol not to comment on individuals' immigration issues.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
I have instructed Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and he fully agrees, not to allow Hoda Muthana back into the Country!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1098327855145062411?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 20, 2019</a></blockquote>
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"Ms. Hoda Muthana is not a US citizen and will not be admitted into the United States," Pompeo said in a terse statement.

"She does not have any legal basis, no valid US passport, no right to a passport, nor any visa to travel to the United States," he added.

The US generally grants citizenship to everyone born on its soil and the Alabama-raised Muthana is believed to have traveled to Syria on a US passport.

But a US official said a later investigation showed that she had not been entitled to her passport, adding: "Ms. Muthana's citizenship has not been revoked because she was never a citizen."

Officials declined further comment but in a loophole that could boost the government case, Muthana's father had been a diplomat from Yemen -- and children of diplomats are not automatically given citizenship.

Muthana's lawyer, Hassan Shilby, showed a birth certificate that demonstrated she was born in New Jersey in 1994 and said her father had ceased being a diplomat "months and months" before her birth.

"She is a US citizen. She had a valid passport. She may have broken the law and, if she has, she's willing to pay the price," Shilby told AFP at his office in Tampa.

He said Muthana wanted due process and was willing to go to prison if convicted.

"We cannot get to a point where we simply strip citizenship from those who break the law. That's not what America is about. We have one of the greatest legal systems in the world, and we have to abide by it."

US-born and radicalised 
Just this weekend, Trump took to Twitter to chastise European allies that have not taken back hundreds of Islamic State prisoners caught in Syria, where Trump plans to withdraw US troops.

Comparatively few Americans have embraced radical Islam, with the Counter Extremism Project at George Washington University identifying 64 who went to join the Islamic State group in Syria or Iraq.

Muthana, raised in a strict household in Hoover, Alabama, said she was brainwashed by social media messages and headed to Syria without her parents' knowledge in 2014.

Shortly afterward, Muthana posted on Twitter a picture of herself and three other women who appeared to torch their Western passports, including an American one.

She went on to post vivid calls on social media to kill Americans, glorifying the ruthless extremist group notorious for its beheadings that for a time ruled vast swathes of Syria and Iraq.

But with the Islamic State group down to its last stretch of land, Muthana said she has renounced extremism and wants to return home with her toddler son, born to one of her three jihadist husbands.

"To say that I regret my past words, any pain that I caused my family and any concerns I would cause my country would be hard for me to really express properly," she said in a handwritten note to her lawyer.

Tough to lose US citizenship 
The US decision on Muthana comes amid rising debate in Europe on the nationality of extremists. Britain recently revoked the citizenship of Shamina Begum, who similarly traveled to Syria and wants to return to her country of birth.

Britain asserted that she was entitled to Bangladeshi citizenship due to her heritage, but the Dhaka government on Wednesday denied that she was eligible, leading her to become effectively stateless.

US citizenship is significantly more difficult to lose. The 14th Amendment to the US Constitution, ratified in 1868 after the Civil War as slavery was abolished, establishes that anyone born in the country is a citizen with full rights.

The US Supreme Court in the landmark 1967 Afroyim decision rejected the government's attempt to revoke the nationality of a Polish-born naturalized American after he voted in Israel.

And last year a federal judge rejected a bid to strip the nationality of a Pakistani-born naturalized American who was convicted in a plot to blow up the Brooklyn Bridge.

But Trump has campaigned on a hard line over immigration and raised the prospect of ending birthright citizenship ahead of last year's congressional elections.

In 2011, President Barack Obama ordered drone strikes that killed two Americans in Yemen — prominent Al-Qaeda preacher Anwar al-Awlaki and his 16-year-old son — but did not believe it was possible to revoke citizenship.

President Donald Trump said Wednesday he is barring a US-born former Islamic State propagandist from returning home, making the highly unusual case that she is not a US citizen.

President Donald Trump said Wednesday he is barring a US-born former Islamic State propagandist from returning home, making the highly unusual case that she is not a US citizen. Trump's refusal to admit 24-year-old Hoda Muthana comes just as he is pressing Europeans to repatriate their own Islamic State fighters and will likely face legal challenges, with US citizenship extremely difficult to lose. Trump said on Twitter he has "instructed" Secretary of State Mike Pompeo "not to allow Hoda Muthana back into the country" — a break with usual US protocol not to comment on individuals' immigration issues. I have instructed Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and he fully agrees, not to allow Hoda Muthana back into the Country! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 20, 2019 × "Ms. Hoda Muthana is not a US citizen and will not be admitted into the United States," Pompeo said in a terse statement. "She does not have any legal basis, no valid US passport, no right to a passport, nor any visa to travel to the United States," he added. The US generally grants citizenship to everyone born on its soil and the Alabama-raised Muthana is believed to have traveled to Syria on a US passport. But a US official said a later investigation showed that she had not been entitled to her passport, adding: "Ms. Muthana's citizenship has not been revoked because she was never a citizen." Officials declined further comment but in a loophole that could boost the government case, Muthana's father had been a diplomat from Yemen -- and children of diplomats are not automatically given citizenship. Muthana's lawyer, Hassan Shilby, showed a birth certificate that demonstrated she was born in New Jersey in 1994 and said her father had ceased being a diplomat "months and months" before her birth. "She is a US citizen. She had a valid passport. She may have broken the law and, if she has, she's willing to pay the price," Shilby told AFP at his office in Tampa. He said Muthana wanted due process and was willing to go to prison if convicted. "We cannot get to a point where we simply strip citizenship from those who break the law. That's not what America is about. We have one of the greatest legal systems in the world, and we have to abide by it." US-born and radicalised Just this weekend, Trump took to Twitter to chastise European allies that have not taken back hundreds of Islamic State prisoners caught in Syria, where Trump plans to withdraw US troops. Comparatively few Americans have embraced radical Islam, with the Counter Extremism Project at George Washington University identifying 64 who went to join the Islamic State group in Syria or Iraq. Muthana, raised in a strict household in Hoover, Alabama, said she was brainwashed by social media messages and headed to Syria without her parents' knowledge in 2014. Shortly afterward, Muthana posted on Twitter a picture of herself and three other women who appeared to torch their Western passports, including an American one. She went on to post vivid calls on social media to kill Americans, glorifying the ruthless extremist group notorious for its beheadings that for a time ruled vast swathes of Syria and Iraq. But with the Islamic State group down to its last stretch of land, Muthana said she has renounced extremism and wants to return home with her toddler son, born to one of her three jihadist husbands. "To say that I regret my past words, any pain that I caused my family and any concerns I would cause my country would be hard for me to really express properly," she said in a handwritten note to her lawyer. Tough to lose US citizenship The US decision on Muthana comes amid rising debate in Europe on the nationality of extremists. Britain recently revoked the citizenship of Shamina Begum, who similarly traveled to Syria and wants to return to her country of birth. Britain asserted that she was entitled to Bangladeshi citizenship due to her heritage, but the Dhaka government on Wednesday denied that she was eligible, leading her to become effectively stateless. US citizenship is significantly more difficult to lose. The 14th Amendment to the US Constitution, ratified in 1868 after the Civil War as slavery was abolished, establishes that anyone born in the country is a citizen with full rights. The US Supreme Court in the landmark 1967 Afroyim decision rejected the government's attempt to revoke the nationality of a Polish-born naturalized American after he voted in Israel. And last year a federal judge rejected a bid to strip the nationality of a Pakistani-born naturalized American who was convicted in a plot to blow up the Brooklyn Bridge. But Trump has campaigned on a hard line over immigration and raised the prospect of ending birthright citizenship ahead of last year's congressional elections. In 2011, President Barack Obama ordered drone strikes that killed two Americans in Yemen — prominent Al-Qaeda preacher Anwar al-Awlaki and his 16-year-old son — but did not believe it was possible to revoke citizenship.

Trump says US woman who joined Islamic State cannot return

By Elizabeth Pearson

Just days after Shamima Begum called for public sympathy for her return to the UK, another young woman was jailed in Baghdad for her role with the so-called Islamic State. Linda Wenzel is German and, like Begum, was 15 years old when she joined Islamic State in 2016. Wenzel has also asked to return to Europe to serve her sentence. There are no signs this will be allowed.

In 2016 I was in Germany, trying to understand young women like Wenzel, for a five-country study on the gender dynamics of violent extremism with my colleague Emily Winterbotham, a senior research fellow at the RUSI think tank. We talked to communities and families affected by radicalisation in the UK, Germany, France, the Netherlands and Canada.

These countries had diverse approaches to radicalisation. France produced counter-radicalisation strategies after the Paris attacks of 2015, while the UK and Netherlands have worked on policy to counter violent extremism since the mid-2000s. Both the Netherlands and UK permit deprivation of citizenship without criminal conviction – which is what has now happened to Begum.

We heard stories of people prevented from travel by police, as well as of both women and men who left for Syria and Iraq. Across the five countries, we noted differences in how men and women were recruited, such as more cases of online approaches to women. We also saw how Muslim community anger was often reserved for the young men who fled to join the Islamic State. Focus groups within Muslim communities often told us women were “naïve”, lacking in self-esteem, “tricked” by “lover-boys” they met online. They were seen as victims.

Back in 2015-16 this sentiment was mirrored in government policy. France, Germany and the Netherlands tended to treat women jihadists as “victims” of Islamic State. Recent research on returning foreign fighters in Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands noted that back then women were “treated with more clemency” and routinely not prosecuted.

That position has changed, with toughening measures for both men and women across Europe. Countries including the UK, Netherlands, Germany and France now investigate and risk-assess both men and women returners. From a position where women and their agency in joining Islamic State were not recognised, the pendulum swung firmly in the other direction.

Hardening attitudes

The first reason why this shift happened was numbers. Countries have had to evolve to catch up with events on the ground. From the Islamic State’s announcement of a “caliphate” in 2014, Europe saw a significant minority of women travel – and women made up around 16-17 per cent of the approximately 6,000 people who left Europe to join the caliphate.

In the case of France, which was new to counter-radicalisation strategies at home and where women made up around 28 per cent of its returners, the shift in policy meant sharp changes to the law and procedures. Canada, which had fewer fighters, adopted a liberal response with few prosecutions of returners – both fighters and others.&nbsp;

This prompted accusations from Canada’s opposition Conservative Party of a policy of “group hug sessions”.

A second reason for the hardening of attitudes to women who joined IS was increased knowledge of women’s role in Islamic State. Women were active propagandists, recruiters, ideologues, supporters of current warriors and producers of the next generation. They were involved in the abuse of other women, whether enslaved Yazidis, or in the al-Khansaa brigade, which policed women. Both Begum and Wenzel suggested they were only housewives. But for Islamic State, the wife is the key to the endurance – or baqiya – of both ideology and “caliphate”.

The perception of women’s threat was also explicitly influenced by cases involving women and a seemingly new phenomenon: the all-female jihadist cell. In 2016, three women were arrested in France after a failed attack near Notre Dame. This proved a game-changer for both public opinion and policy regarding returners, despite the fact that these women were radicalised in France. In the UK, another all-female plot was uncovered in 2017.

An increase in threat levels linked to male returners also had an influence on how women were viewed. In 2015, male returners were involved in the Paris attacks and the following year in attacks in Brussels. While women have not yet returned in large numbers, the fear is that women, newly recognised as ideologically committed, might also carry out an attack. 
 
The gender dimension

Both policy and public opinion are shifting from ignoring women in jihadist movements, to “adding” them into counter-extremism strategies, and increasingly treating the threat they pose as equal to men. There is now an increased assumption in France, the Netherlands and Germany of parity in male and female potential for violence. However, it’s not enough to just to “add women” into existing strategies – governments must recognise the ways in which terrorist groups understand men and women differently.

This means acknowledging two important facts related to power. First, compared to men, instances of women perpetrators of jihadist violence are rare, not because women are “naturally” less violent, or do not support jihad, but because patriarchal jihadi ideology judges female violence is highly transgressive.&nbsp;

The second relates to the power imbalances in women’s radicalisation. Islamic State ran a systemised online recruitment campaign targeting women, with parallels to child sexual exploitation and grooming. Often older men sought out teenage girls. Women desperate to return emphasise their own victimhood. Some women radicalised to join Islamic State report experiences of sexual abuse, domestic or honour-based violence.

This doesn’t deny women agency or excuse them from complicity in Islamic State atrocities but recognises the context within which their choices were made. It is more important now, in the current chaos of the end of the caliphate when many women may return to their countries of origin, including within Europe and North America, to recognise the complexity of what it meant to be involved in Islamic State.

 
(Elizabeth Pearson is Lecturer at the Cyber Threats Research Centre, Swansea University)

(This article was originally published on the Conversation. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/shamima-begum-how-europe-toughened-its-stance-on-women-returning-from-islamic-state-112048">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

 
&nbsp;

By Elizabeth Pearson Just days after Shamima Begum called for public sympathy for her return to the UK, another young woman was jailed in Baghdad for her role with the so-called Islamic State.

By Elizabeth Pearson Just days after Shamima Begum called for public sympathy for her return to the UK, another young woman was jailed in Baghdad for her role with the so-called Islamic State. Linda Wenzel is German and, like Begum, was 15 years old when she joined Islamic State in 2016. Wenzel has also asked to return to Europe to serve her sentence. There are no signs this will be allowed. In 2016 I was in Germany, trying to understand young women like Wenzel, for a five-country study on the gender dynamics of violent extremism with my colleague Emily Winterbotham, a senior research fellow at the RUSI think tank. We talked to communities and families affected by radicalisation in the UK, Germany, France, the Netherlands and Canada. These countries had diverse approaches to radicalisation. France produced counter-radicalisation strategies after the Paris attacks of 2015, while the UK and Netherlands have worked on policy to counter violent extremism since the mid-2000s. Both the Netherlands and UK permit deprivation of citizenship without criminal conviction – which is what has now happened to Begum. We heard stories of people prevented from travel by police, as well as of both women and men who left for Syria and Iraq. Across the five countries, we noted differences in how men and women were recruited, such as more cases of online approaches to women. We also saw how Muslim community anger was often reserved for the young men who fled to join the Islamic State. Focus groups within Muslim communities often told us women were “naïve”, lacking in self-esteem, “tricked” by “lover-boys” they met online. They were seen as victims. Back in 2015-16 this sentiment was mirrored in government policy. France, Germany and the Netherlands tended to treat women jihadists as “victims” of Islamic State. Recent research on returning foreign fighters in Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands noted that back then women were “treated with more clemency” and routinely not prosecuted. That position has changed, with toughening measures for both men and women across Europe. Countries including the UK, Netherlands, Germany and France now investigate and risk-assess both men and women returners. From a position where women and their agency in joining Islamic State were not recognised, the pendulum swung firmly in the other direction. Hardening attitudes The first reason why this shift happened was numbers. Countries have had to evolve to catch up with events on the ground. From the Islamic State’s announcement of a “caliphate” in 2014, Europe saw a significant minority of women travel – and women made up around 16-17 per cent of the approximately 6,000 people who left Europe to join the caliphate. In the case of France, which was new to counter-radicalisation strategies at home and where women made up around 28 per cent of its returners, the shift in policy meant sharp changes to the law and procedures. Canada, which had fewer fighters, adopted a liberal response with few prosecutions of returners – both fighters and others. This prompted accusations from Canada’s opposition Conservative Party of a policy of “group hug sessions”. A second reason for the hardening of attitudes to women who joined IS was increased knowledge of women’s role in Islamic State. Women were active propagandists, recruiters, ideologues, supporters of current warriors and producers of the next generation. They were involved in the abuse of other women, whether enslaved Yazidis, or in the al-Khansaa brigade, which policed women. Both Begum and Wenzel suggested they were only housewives. But for Islamic State, the wife is the key to the endurance – or baqiya – of both ideology and “caliphate”. The perception of women’s threat was also explicitly influenced by cases involving women and a seemingly new phenomenon: the all-female jihadist cell. In 2016, three women were arrested in France after a failed attack near Notre Dame. This proved a game-changer for both public opinion and policy regarding returners, despite the fact that these women were radicalised in France. In the UK, another all-female plot was uncovered in 2017. An increase in threat levels linked to male returners also had an influence on how women were viewed. In 2015, male returners were involved in the Paris attacks and the following year in attacks in Brussels. While women have not yet returned in large numbers, the fear is that women, newly recognised as ideologically committed, might also carry out an attack. The gender dimension Both policy and public opinion are shifting from ignoring women in jihadist movements, to “adding” them into counter-extremism strategies, and increasingly treating the threat they pose as equal to men. There is now an increased assumption in France, the Netherlands and Germany of parity in male and female potential for violence. However, it’s not enough to just to “add women” into existing strategies – governments must recognise the ways in which terrorist groups understand men and women differently. This means acknowledging two important facts related to power. First, compared to men, instances of women perpetrators of jihadist violence are rare, not because women are “naturally” less violent, or do not support jihad, but because patriarchal jihadi ideology judges female violence is highly transgressive. The second relates to the power imbalances in women’s radicalisation. Islamic State ran a systemised online recruitment campaign targeting women, with parallels to child sexual exploitation and grooming. Often older men sought out teenage girls. Women desperate to return emphasise their own victimhood. Some women radicalised to join Islamic State report experiences of sexual abuse, domestic or honour-based violence. This doesn’t deny women agency or excuse them from complicity in Islamic State atrocities but recognises the context within which their choices were made. It is more important now, in the current chaos of the end of the caliphate when many women may return to their countries of origin, including within Europe and North America, to recognise the complexity of what it meant to be involved in Islamic State. (Elizabeth Pearson is Lecturer at the Cyber Threats Research Centre, Swansea University) (This article was originally published on the Conversation. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Shamima Begum: How Europe toughened its stance on women returning from Islamic State

A convoy of trucks evacuated dozens of people including women and children from the Islamic State group's last Syria redoubt Wednesday, bringing US-backed forces closer to retaking the last sliver of the "caliphate".

The implosion of the jihadist proto-state which once spanned swathes of Syria and neighbouring Iraq has left Western nations grappling with how to handle citizens who left to join IS.

Around 15 trucks carrying men, women and children exited the last patch of IS territory in eastern Syria, according to AFP correspondents.

Women wearing face veils, several children -- including young veiled girls -- as well as men were seen inside the vehicles.

Their exact number and nationalities were not immediately clear.

The convoy passed a position of the Kurdish-led SDF, which are spearheading the battle against the jihadists, after leaving the last IS holdout in the village of Baghouz, near the Iraqi border.

SDF fighters watched as double-trailer trucks made their way across the arid plain, dotted in places with grass and yellow flowers.

SDF spokesman Mustefa Bali said the trucks were evacuating a first batch of civilians, but some remained inside.

"After many days of trying, we were able to evacuate the first batch today," Bali told AFP.

The number of people who quit the holdout would become clear once the convoy arrived at a nearby SDF screening site, he said.

"We don't know if IS fighters are among them, we will know at the screening point," Bali said.

Backed by air strikes by a US-led coalition, the SDF have trapped IS fighters in less than half a square kilometre (0.2 square miles) of Baghouz.

The SDF have slowed their advance in recent days to protect civilians ahead of a final push to defeat the jihadists.

'Deal'?

Thousands of people -- mostly women and children related to IS members -- have streamed out of Baghouz in the past weeks, but the flow had largely stopped in recent days.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, said a deal appeared to have been reached with the jihadists.

"There have been negotiations for the surrender of the last IS fighters," Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said.

"There are reports of a deal, but we don't know the details yet," he said.

On Tuesday, the SDF said several IS fighters and dozens of civilians handed themselves over to the Kurdish-led force.

Spokesman Adnan Afrin said a convoy of trucks had entered Baghouz to transfer jihadists and their relatives out to SDF-held territory.

The spokesman said foreigners were among those who left the pocket, but did not say where they were from, or if they were civilians.

The Free Burma Rangers volunteer group said 40 people had exited the enclave on Tuesday, including a French woman with two infants.

The United Nations on Tuesday said around 200 families, including many women and children, were "reportedly trapped" in the last IS holdout.

Hundreds of alleged jihadists, including foreigners, have been detained after fleeing the pocket in recent weeks.

At its height, the IS "caliphate" spanned an area the size of the United Kingdom, with the jihadists implementing their brutal rule on millions.

'Complicated'

After years of battling IS, the SDF hold hundreds of foreigners suspected of being IS fighters, as well as related women and children.

Syria's Kurds have long urged their home countries to take them back, but many European nations have been reluctant.

US President Donald Trump on Saturday urged European powers to take back hundreds of their citizens who fought for IS in Syria.

Britain, however, has rebuffed Trump's appeal and is expected to revoke the citizenship of a teenager who fled London to join the jihadists aged just 15, a lawyer for her family said Tuesday.&nbsp;

Shamima Begum, 19, is being held in a refugee camp in northeast Syria.

At the weekend, she gave birth to her third child, and appealed to British authorities to show "compassion" by allowing her and her baby to return.

The United States said Tuesday it was weighing options on an American woman detained in Syria who says she wants to return home.

Hoda Muthana, a 24-year-old from Alabama who became a prominent online agitator for the extremists, said in an interview published Sunday with British daily The Guardian that she had been brainwashed online and "deeply regrets" joining the movement.&nbsp;

While declining to discuss Muthana's case, US State Department deputy spokesman Robert Palladino said that the status of US citizens detained in Syria "is by definition extremely complicated".

Beyond Baghouz, IS retains a presence in the Badia desert and has claimed deadly attacks in SDF-held areas.

Syria's war has killed more than 360,000 people and displaced millions since it started in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government protests.

A convoy of trucks evacuated dozens of people including women and children from the Islamic State group's last Syria redoubt Wednesday, bringing US-backed forces closer to retaking the last sliver of the "caliphate".

A convoy of trucks evacuated dozens of people including women and children from the Islamic State group's last Syria redoubt Wednesday, bringing US-backed forces closer to retaking the last sliver of the "caliphate". The implosion of the jihadist proto-state which once spanned swathes of Syria and neighbouring Iraq has left Western nations grappling with how to handle citizens who left to join IS. Around 15 trucks carrying men, women and children exited the last patch of IS territory in eastern Syria, according to AFP correspondents. Women wearing face veils, several children -- including young veiled girls -- as well as men were seen inside the vehicles. Their exact number and nationalities were not immediately clear. The convoy passed a position of the Kurdish-led SDF, which are spearheading the battle against the jihadists, after leaving the last IS holdout in the village of Baghouz, near the Iraqi border. SDF fighters watched as double-trailer trucks made their way across the arid plain, dotted in places with grass and yellow flowers. SDF spokesman Mustefa Bali said the trucks were evacuating a first batch of civilians, but some remained inside. "After many days of trying, we were able to evacuate the first batch today," Bali told AFP. The number of people who quit the holdout would become clear once the convoy arrived at a nearby SDF screening site, he said. "We don't know if IS fighters are among them, we will know at the screening point," Bali said. Backed by air strikes by a US-led coalition, the SDF have trapped IS fighters in less than half a square kilometre (0.2 square miles) of Baghouz. The SDF have slowed their advance in recent days to protect civilians ahead of a final push to defeat the jihadists. 'Deal'? Thousands of people -- mostly women and children related to IS members -- have streamed out of Baghouz in the past weeks, but the flow had largely stopped in recent days. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, said a deal appeared to have been reached with the jihadists. "There have been negotiations for the surrender of the last IS fighters," Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said. "There are reports of a deal, but we don't know the details yet," he said. On Tuesday, the SDF said several IS fighters and dozens of civilians handed themselves over to the Kurdish-led force. Spokesman Adnan Afrin said a convoy of trucks had entered Baghouz to transfer jihadists and their relatives out to SDF-held territory. The spokesman said foreigners were among those who left the pocket, but did not say where they were from, or if they were civilians. The Free Burma Rangers volunteer group said 40 people had exited the enclave on Tuesday, including a French woman with two infants. The United Nations on Tuesday said around 200 families, including many women and children, were "reportedly trapped" in the last IS holdout. Hundreds of alleged jihadists, including foreigners, have been detained after fleeing the pocket in recent weeks. At its height, the IS "caliphate" spanned an area the size of the United Kingdom, with the jihadists implementing their brutal rule on millions. 'Complicated' After years of battling IS, the SDF hold hundreds of foreigners suspected of being IS fighters, as well as related women and children. Syria's Kurds have long urged their home countries to take them back, but many European nations have been reluctant. US President Donald Trump on Saturday urged European powers to take back hundreds of their citizens who fought for IS in Syria. Britain, however, has rebuffed Trump's appeal and is expected to revoke the citizenship of a teenager who fled London to join the jihadists aged just 15, a lawyer for her family said Tuesday. Shamima Begum, 19, is being held in a refugee camp in northeast Syria. At the weekend, she gave birth to her third child, and appealed to British authorities to show "compassion" by allowing her and her baby to return. The United States said Tuesday it was weighing options on an American woman detained in Syria who says she wants to return home. Hoda Muthana, a 24-year-old from Alabama who became a prominent online agitator for the extremists, said in an interview published Sunday with British daily The Guardian that she had been brainwashed online and "deeply regrets" joining the movement. While declining to discuss Muthana's case, US State Department deputy spokesman Robert Palladino said that the status of US citizens detained in Syria "is by definition extremely complicated". Beyond Baghouz, IS retains a presence in the Badia desert and has claimed deadly attacks in SDF-held areas. Syria's war has killed more than 360,000 people and displaced millions since it started in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government protests.

Dozens of people including Women, children evacuated from last IS holdout in Syria

The United States said Tuesday it wanted to ensure foreign jihadists remain off the battlefield as it weighed options on an American detained in Syria who says she wants to return home.

The United States has urged European powers to take back hundreds of their citizens who fought with the Islamic State movement in Syria, but acknowledged the situation was complex in the rare case of an American jihadist.

Hoda Muthana, a 24-year-old from Alabama who became a prominent online agitator for the extremists, said in an interview published Sunday with The Guardian that she had been brainwashed online and "deeply regrets" joining the movement.

While declining to discuss Muthana's case specifically, State Department deputy spokesman Robert Palladino said that the status of US citizens detained in Syria "is by definition extremely complicated."

"We're looking into these cases to better understand the details," he told reporters.

Palladino said that the United States generally did not see a different solution between what to do with US fighters and with foreigners, saying the fighters pose "a global threat."

"Repatriating these foreign terrorist fighters to their countries of origin, ensuring that they are prosecuted and detained -- that's the best solution, preventing them from returning to the battlefield," he said.

The situation of foreign jihadists detained by US-allied Kurdish forces has taken a new urgency as President Donald Trump plans to withdraw US troops from Syria.

The Syrian Democratic Forces say they may have to refocus on fighting Turkey, which has vowed to crush Kurdish fighters it links to separatists at home.

Trump has contemplated reopening the US military base at Guantanamo Bay to take in new foreign inmates, while Britain on Tuesday revoked the citizenship of a female jihadist who wanted to return home with her newborn baby.

Neither option would likely pass muster in the cases of US citizens, who enjoy strong legal protections under the Constitution.

Muthana, who was married three times to jihadists and has a son with one of her husbands, fled her family in 2014 to join the Islamic State group in Syria, where she took to Twitter to urge attacks on fellow Americans.

In the interview with The Guardian, Muthana said that she was "really young and ignorant" when she joined IS and has since renounced radicalism.

"I believe that America gives second chances. I want to return and I'll never come back to the Middle East," she told the newspaper.

Hassan Shilby, a lawyer for Muthana, told ABC television's "Good Morning America" that the young woman had been "brainwashed and manipulated" and is "absolutely disgusted" by the person she became.

The United States said Tuesday it wanted to ensure foreign jihadists remain off the battlefield as it weighed options on an American detained in Syria who says she wants to return home.

The United States said Tuesday it wanted to ensure foreign jihadists remain off the battlefield as it weighed options on an American detained in Syria who says she wants to return home. The United States has urged European powers to take back hundreds of their citizens who fought with the Islamic State movement in Syria, but acknowledged the situation was complex in the rare case of an American jihadist. Hoda Muthana, a 24-year-old from Alabama who became a prominent online agitator for the extremists, said in an interview published Sunday with The Guardian that she had been brainwashed online and "deeply regrets" joining the movement. While declining to discuss Muthana's case specifically, State Department deputy spokesman Robert Palladino said that the status of US citizens detained in Syria "is by definition extremely complicated." "We're looking into these cases to better understand the details," he told reporters. Palladino said that the United States generally did not see a different solution between what to do with US fighters and with foreigners, saying the fighters pose "a global threat." "Repatriating these foreign terrorist fighters to their countries of origin, ensuring that they are prosecuted and detained -- that's the best solution, preventing them from returning to the battlefield," he said. The situation of foreign jihadists detained by US-allied Kurdish forces has taken a new urgency as President Donald Trump plans to withdraw US troops from Syria. The Syrian Democratic Forces say they may have to refocus on fighting Turkey, which has vowed to crush Kurdish fighters it links to separatists at home. Trump has contemplated reopening the US military base at Guantanamo Bay to take in new foreign inmates, while Britain on Tuesday revoked the citizenship of a female jihadist who wanted to return home with her newborn baby. Neither option would likely pass muster in the cases of US citizens, who enjoy strong legal protections under the Constitution. Muthana, who was married three times to jihadists and has a son with one of her husbands, fled her family in 2014 to join the Islamic State group in Syria, where she took to Twitter to urge attacks on fellow Americans. In the interview with The Guardian, Muthana said that she was "really young and ignorant" when she joined IS and has since renounced radicalism. "I believe that America gives second chances. I want to return and I'll never come back to the Middle East," she told the newspaper. Hassan Shilby, a lawyer for Muthana, told ABC television's "Good Morning America" that the young woman had been "brainwashed and manipulated" and is "absolutely disgusted" by the person she became.

US weighing options on American Islamic State sympathiser in Syria

A British<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/british-government-to-strip-teen-who-joined-islamic-state-of-citizenship-lawyer-198405"> teenager who joined the Islamic State group in Syria</a> in 2015 said Wednesday she was shocked by a government decision to revoke her citizenship.

Shamima Begum, who <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/uk-teen-who-joined-is-has-given-birth-in-syria-family-197927">now wants to return home</a> after giving birth in a refugee camp in Syria last weekend, said the order was "unjust".

"I am a bit shocked," she told ITV News after learning of the move which was announced in a letter Tuesday from Britain's interior ministry to her mother in London.

"It's a bit upsetting and frustrating. I feel like it's a bit unjust on me and my son."

Begum's fate has stirred controversy since she and two friends fled her east London home to join the terror network four years ago when she was aged just 15.

The case highlights a dilemma facing many European countries, divided over whether to allow jihadists and IS sympathisers home to face prosecution or barring them over security concerns as the so-called "caliphate" crumbles.

A spokeswoman for the interior ministry said on Tuesday it would not comment on individual cases, "but any decisions to deprive individuals of their citizenship are based on all available evidence and not taken lightly".

She added that interior minister Sajid Javid was intent on prioritising "the safety and security of Britain and the people who live here".

"In order to protect this country, he has the power to deprive someone of their British citizenship where it would not render them stateless."

Begum gave birth to her third child at the weekend, and appealed to British authorities to show "compassion" by allowing her to raise the baby in Britain -- while expressing no regret over having joined IS.

'All legal avenues'

In the ministry's letter sent to Begum's mother, it said the teen had the right to appeal the order.

A lawyer for her family said it was disappointed with the move.

"(The) family are very disappointed with the... intention to have an order made depriving Shamima of her citizenship," Tasnime Akunjee said on Twitter.

"We are considering all legal avenues to challenge this decision."

Begum, who is of Bangladeshi heritage, was born in Britain, has never had a Bangladeshi passport and is not a dual citizen, according to Akunjee.

The interior ministry reportedly believes that she is entitled to claim citizenship in the south Asian country.

Chiranjiv Sarker, head of the consular wing and dual nationality issues at Bangladesh's foreign ministry, told AFP it was aware of the case but had not received any contact from the family.

"So far none of her family members (has) approached us," he said. "What I learn from newspapers is that Shamima was trying to return to Britain."

He added that, if approached, the ministry would need to try to verify Begum's Bangladeshi heritage to assess any possible eligibility for citizenship.&nbsp;

Trump call rebuffed

Begum is currently in a refugee camp in northeast Syria where she fled to escape fighting in the east of the country along with hundreds of other people with links to IS.&nbsp;

She said she has previously given birth to two other children after marrying in Syria. Both children have died, apparently from illness and malnutrition.

Begum fled Britain with Kadiza Sultana, who has since been reported killed, and Amira Abase.

Begum said in recent media interviews that Abase had stayed in a village where IS fighters are making a final stand against US-backed forces.

European countries have been grappling with what to do with foreign fighters detained in Syria by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, who have warned they may not be able to guard their jails once US troops leave.

The British government on Monday rebuffed US President Donald Trump's call to take back alleged UK jihadists captured in the war-ravaged country.

Trump had called on Britain, France, Germany and other European allies "to take back over 800 IS fighters that we captured in Syria and put them on trial".

Prime Minister Theresa May's spokesman said the fighters should instead face justice in places where they committed their crimes.

A British teenager who joined the Islamic State group in Syria in 2015 said Wednesday she was shocked by a government decision to revoke her citizenship. Shamima Begum, who now wants to return home after giving birth in a refugee camp in Syria last weekend, said the order was "unjust".

A British teenager who joined the Islamic State group in Syria in 2015 said Wednesday she was shocked by a government decision to revoke her citizenship. Shamima Begum, who now wants to return home after giving birth in a refugee camp in Syria last weekend, said the order was "unjust". "I am a bit shocked," she told ITV News after learning of the move which was announced in a letter Tuesday from Britain's interior ministry to her mother in London. "It's a bit upsetting and frustrating. I feel like it's a bit unjust on me and my son." Begum's fate has stirred controversy since she and two friends fled her east London home to join the terror network four years ago when she was aged just 15. The case highlights a dilemma facing many European countries, divided over whether to allow jihadists and IS sympathisers home to face prosecution or barring them over security concerns as the so-called "caliphate" crumbles. A spokeswoman for the interior ministry said on Tuesday it would not comment on individual cases, "but any decisions to deprive individuals of their citizenship are based on all available evidence and not taken lightly". She added that interior minister Sajid Javid was intent on prioritising "the safety and security of Britain and the people who live here". "In order to protect this country, he has the power to deprive someone of their British citizenship where it would not render them stateless." Begum gave birth to her third child at the weekend, and appealed to British authorities to show "compassion" by allowing her to raise the baby in Britain -- while expressing no regret over having joined IS. 'All legal avenues' In the ministry's letter sent to Begum's mother, it said the teen had the right to appeal the order. A lawyer for her family said it was disappointed with the move. "(The) family are very disappointed with the... intention to have an order made depriving Shamima of her citizenship," Tasnime Akunjee said on Twitter. "We are considering all legal avenues to challenge this decision." Begum, who is of Bangladeshi heritage, was born in Britain, has never had a Bangladeshi passport and is not a dual citizen, according to Akunjee. The interior ministry reportedly believes that she is entitled to claim citizenship in the south Asian country. Chiranjiv Sarker, head of the consular wing and dual nationality issues at Bangladesh's foreign ministry, told AFP it was aware of the case but had not received any contact from the family. "So far none of her family members (has) approached us," he said. "What I learn from newspapers is that Shamima was trying to return to Britain." He added that, if approached, the ministry would need to try to verify Begum's Bangladeshi heritage to assess any possible eligibility for citizenship. Trump call rebuffed Begum is currently in a refugee camp in northeast Syria where she fled to escape fighting in the east of the country along with hundreds of other people with links to IS. She said she has previously given birth to two other children after marrying in Syria. Both children have died, apparently from illness and malnutrition. Begum fled Britain with Kadiza Sultana, who has since been reported killed, and Amira Abase. Begum said in recent media interviews that Abase had stayed in a village where IS fighters are making a final stand against US-backed forces. European countries have been grappling with what to do with foreign fighters detained in Syria by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, who have warned they may not be able to guard their jails once US troops leave. The British government on Monday rebuffed US President Donald Trump's call to take back alleged UK jihadists captured in the war-ravaged country. Trump had called on Britain, France, Germany and other European allies "to take back over 800 IS fighters that we captured in Syria and put them on trial". Prime Minister Theresa May's spokesman said the fighters should instead face justice in places where they committed their crimes.

Islamic State teen 'shocked' after UK revokes her citizenship

The fate of foreigners who joined Islamic State has become an increasingly urgent issue as US-backed fighters prepare to capture the militant group's last stronghold in eastern Syria.

The Kurdish-led, US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces say they are holding 800 foreign fighters, with 700 of their wives and 1,500 of their children living separately in camps. Dozens of more militants and family members have been arriving daily.

US&nbsp;President Donald Trump said on Sunday European countries must do more to take back their citizens or they will be released. The SDF says it has no intention of freeing them, but they could escape in future if the area is attacked.

European countries say they are working on how to deal with their citizens who want to come home, including investigating and prosecuting those guilty of crimes.

But they say this is made more complicated because diplomats cannot operate in territory held by the SDF, which is not internationally recognised, and they worry that the Trump administration's decision to withdraw its 2,000-strong force from Syria means there will not be enough time to respond.

According to European police agency Europol, some 5,000 Europeans -- most from Britain, France, Germany and Belgium -- went to fight in Syria and Iraq, of whom some 1,500 have returned.

Following is a breakdown by country of Europeans believed to have travelled to Syria or Iraq.

Britain

British officials estimate around 900 people from the United Kingdom went to the Syria region. Around a fifth have died and about half have returned, so around 360 remain in the region. Officials noted that not all of those who went to the Syria region were extremists: some went with genuine charitable intentions. Of those who went to fight, not all joined Islamic State, though most of those left in the region are thought to represent militant elements.

The issue has gained greater attention in recent days as news organisations have run interviews with Shamima Begum, a pregnant 19-year-old who left London to become an Islamic State bride as a schoolgirl.

Belgium

The Belgian threat assessment centre OCAD/OCAM says 442 Belgians left for Syria or Iraq, of whom 130 have returned and 142 have been killed. Six Belgian men, 17 women and 32 children are being held in Syria, and two men are jailed in Iraq.

Denmark

The latest data available from Denmark's security and intelligence service dates to January 2018. The authorities believe at least 150 people have left Denmark for Syria or Iraq since the summer of 2012 to join militant Islamist groups. More than a third have returned to Denmark and at least a quarter are presumed dead. Roughly one fifth are still in the conflict zone, with the rest located in third countries.

France

French officials and the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation and Political Violence estimate that 800-1,500 people have travelled from France to join Islamic State. French officials estimate that around 300 have been killed and a similar number have returned to France.

Of those that remain in Syria and Iraq, diplomats and military officials said two weeks ago that Kurdish-led forces were holding about 150 French citizens in northeastern Syria. An estimated 100 French citizens are believed to be left in the last pocket of Islamic State fighters, although it is not clear if that includes families and children. A further 150 French fighters and children are in Idlib, French officials have said.

Germany

According to the German authorities, around 1050 people from Germany have travelled to Syria and Iraq since 2013, around one-third of whom have returned. Around 270 women and children from Germany are now in Syria and Iraq. Around 75 per cent of the children are under the age of three years old and believed to have been born in the conflict zone. The Interior Ministry estimates the number of Germans in the custody of the Kurdish-led forces in northern Syria as in the high double digits.

Netherlands

The Dutch intelligence agency AIVD says about 315 people left the Netherlands for Syria or Iraq with the intention of joining the militants, about two-thirds of the men and one-third women. About 55 are believed to have returned, 85 are believed to have died, 135 are still in the conflict area and 40 are either in third countries or in detention in the region.

Sources told Reuters last year that as many as 175 children with the right to Dutch citizenship were believed to be in the conflict zone.

Switzerland

In its 2018 annual report, Switzerland's intelligence service identified 93 cases of jihadi travellers who had left the country for war zones, including 79 who went to Syria or Iraq. Dozens of them had died and 16 had returned to Switzerland, it said. 
&nbsp;

The fate of foreigners who joined Islamic State has become an increasingly urgent issue as US-backed fighters prepare to capture the militant group's last stronghold in eastern Syria.

The fate of foreigners who joined Islamic State has become an increasingly urgent issue as US-backed fighters prepare to capture the militant group's last stronghold in eastern Syria. The Kurdish-led, US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces say they are holding 800 foreign fighters, with 700 of their wives and 1,500 of their children living separately in camps. Dozens of more militants and family members have been arriving daily. US President Donald Trump said on Sunday European countries must do more to take back their citizens or they will be released. The SDF says it has no intention of freeing them, but they could escape in future if the area is attacked. European countries say they are working on how to deal with their citizens who want to come home, including investigating and prosecuting those guilty of crimes. But they say this is made more complicated because diplomats cannot operate in territory held by the SDF, which is not internationally recognised, and they worry that the Trump administration's decision to withdraw its 2,000-strong force from Syria means there will not be enough time to respond. According to European police agency Europol, some 5,000 Europeans -- most from Britain, France, Germany and Belgium -- went to fight in Syria and Iraq, of whom some 1,500 have returned. Following is a breakdown by country of Europeans believed to have travelled to Syria or Iraq. Britain British officials estimate around 900 people from the United Kingdom went to the Syria region. Around a fifth have died and about half have returned, so around 360 remain in the region. Officials noted that not all of those who went to the Syria region were extremists: some went with genuine charitable intentions. Of those who went to fight, not all joined Islamic State, though most of those left in the region are thought to represent militant elements. The issue has gained greater attention in recent days as news organisations have run interviews with Shamima Begum, a pregnant 19-year-old who left London to become an Islamic State bride as a schoolgirl. Belgium The Belgian threat assessment centre OCAD/OCAM says 442 Belgians left for Syria or Iraq, of whom 130 have returned and 142 have been killed. Six Belgian men, 17 women and 32 children are being held in Syria, and two men are jailed in Iraq. Denmark The latest data available from Denmark's security and intelligence service dates to January 2018. The authorities believe at least 150 people have left Denmark for Syria or Iraq since the summer of 2012 to join militant Islamist groups. More than a third have returned to Denmark and at least a quarter are presumed dead. Roughly one fifth are still in the conflict zone, with the rest located in third countries. France French officials and the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation and Political Violence estimate that 800-1,500 people have travelled from France to join Islamic State. French officials estimate that around 300 have been killed and a similar number have returned to France. Of those that remain in Syria and Iraq, diplomats and military officials said two weeks ago that Kurdish-led forces were holding about 150 French citizens in northeastern Syria. An estimated 100 French citizens are believed to be left in the last pocket of Islamic State fighters, although it is not clear if that includes families and children. A further 150 French fighters and children are in Idlib, French officials have said. Germany According to the German authorities, around 1050 people from Germany have travelled to Syria and Iraq since 2013, around one-third of whom have returned. Around 270 women and children from Germany are now in Syria and Iraq. Around 75 per cent of the children are under the age of three years old and believed to have been born in the conflict zone. The Interior Ministry estimates the number of Germans in the custody of the Kurdish-led forces in northern Syria as in the high double digits. Netherlands The Dutch intelligence agency AIVD says about 315 people left the Netherlands for Syria or Iraq with the intention of joining the militants, about two-thirds of the men and one-third women. About 55 are believed to have returned, 85 are believed to have died, 135 are still in the conflict area and 40 are either in third countries or in detention in the region. Sources told Reuters last year that as many as 175 children with the right to Dutch citizenship were believed to be in the conflict zone. Switzerland In its 2018 annual report, Switzerland's intelligence service identified 93 cases of jihadi travellers who had left the country for war zones, including 79 who went to Syria or Iraq. Dozens of them had died and 16 had returned to Switzerland, it said.

Factbox: Europeans who joined Islamic State

Trucks entered the last Islamic State enclave in eastern Syria on Tuesday to evacuate remaining civilians, said a source in the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, which is poised to capture the area.

The SDF has said isolating the civilians in the enclave at Baghouz from the remaining jihadists holed up inside is a crucial step towards the final capture of the last territory held by the jihadist group in eastern Syria.

Dozens of trucks could be seen moving along a road towards the village.

The United Nations human rights chief Michelle Bachelet said earlier on Tuesday that some 200 families remained trapped in the Islamic State enclave and called for their safe passage out.

Backed by a US-led international coalition, the SDF has recaptured swathes of northeastern Syria from Islamic State since 2015, finally cornering the group around Baghouz at the Iraqi border.

Islamic State lost most of its territory in 2017 in both Iraq and Syria to separate military campaigns by the SDF and the Iraqi and Syrian governments.

However, while the group has lost almost all of the caliphate it proclaimed in 2014, it has carried out guerrilla attacks in areas it controls and numerous Western and Middle East officials have said it still poses a threat.

Trucks entered the last Islamic State enclave in eastern Syria on Tuesday to evacuate remaining civilians, said a source in the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, which is poised to capture the area.

Trucks entered the last Islamic State enclave in eastern Syria on Tuesday to evacuate remaining civilians, said a source in the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, which is poised to capture the area. The SDF has said isolating the civilians in the enclave at Baghouz from the remaining jihadists holed up inside is a crucial step towards the final capture of the last territory held by the jihadist group in eastern Syria. Dozens of trucks could be seen moving along a road towards the village. The United Nations human rights chief Michelle Bachelet said earlier on Tuesday that some 200 families remained trapped in the Islamic State enclave and called for their safe passage out. Backed by a US-led international coalition, the SDF has recaptured swathes of northeastern Syria from Islamic State since 2015, finally cornering the group around Baghouz at the Iraqi border. Islamic State lost most of its territory in 2017 in both Iraq and Syria to separate military campaigns by the SDF and the Iraqi and Syrian governments. However, while the group has lost almost all of the caliphate it proclaimed in 2014, it has carried out guerrilla attacks in areas it controls and numerous Western and Middle East officials have said it still poses a threat.

Trucks prepare to evacuate last civilians from Syrian IS enclave: SDF source

As the end nears for the IS enclave in Syria and the fate of jihadists' family members becomes a prescient issue, Russia can be seen as a pioneer in systematically returning children of Islamist fighters home.

A potential homecoming of the many foreign women who have gone to live in the IS "caliphate" and their children, many of whom were born there, has been a subject of debate in Russia, with some security chiefs seeing them as potential threats.

Earlier this month, 27 children, from four to 13 years old, were flown from Iraq to the Moscow region.

Clutching stuffed toys and bundled in winter jackets, the children were carried off the cargo plane to face the Russian winter after years in the desert.

After health exams, they would be given into the care of their uncles, aunts, and grandparents in the Russian North Caucasus, the majority-Muslim territory in the south of Russia that is home to most of the Russians that had joined the Islamic State group.

Another 30 children were brought back in late December.

"They attend school and kindergarten. Volunteers work with them and talk to them about what they have been through, explaining how they have been indoctrinated," said Kheda Saratova, an advisor to Chechnya leader Ramzan Kadyrov, who has assumed a central role in the process of repatriating Islamists' relatives.

Russian authorities have given sometimes conflicting figures of returnees. Saratova said that about 200 children have been brought to Russia, but nearly 1,400 are still stuck in Iraq and Syria.

Kadyrov, a longtime Kremlin protege with vast resources, began efforts to bring back fighters' children in 2017. Diplomatic negotiations are often led by Aleppo-born Chechnya senator Ziyad Sabsabi.

Endorsing Kadyrov's efforts, President Vladimir Putin in late 2017 called the drive to return the children "a very honourable and correct deed" and promised to help.

"It's very good for the image of Kadyrov. He seems somebody who doesn't just use violence against terrorists but who builds mosques and hands out humanitarian aid," said Grigory Shvedov, who edits a Caucasus-focused news website Caucasian Knot.

When he began Russia's intervention in Syria in 2015, Putin justified it by the need to kill jihadists before they come to Russia.

Although some regions have tried rehabilitation programmes for Islamic extremists, these have failed to catch on at the national level. Young men who returned from Syria or Iraq and turned themselves in have faced harsh punishment.

This month Russia's Supreme Court confirmed a 16-year-term for a young man who went to Syria as a 19-year-old student and worked as a cook and driver on IS-controlled territory for six months.

Returning the wives of jihadists is also complicated by the absence of an extradition agreement between Russia and Iraq, where many have been sentenced, sometimes to life, in prison.

But there is also reluctance by Russia's powerful security services to bring home adult civilians.

FSB chief Alexander Bortnikov in November noted that many women with children exiting conflict zones have been used by jihadists as suicide bombers or recruiters.

"The FSB sees them as dangerous, even though many of these wives purchase their freedom from the Kurds and will eventually return one way or another," said Saratova.

Any affiliation with Islamic State jihadists is a crime, since the group is banned under Russian law.

As the end nears for the IS enclave in Syria and the fate of jihadists' family members becomes a prescient issue, Russia can be seen as a pioneer in systematically returning children of Islamist fighters home.

As the end nears for the IS enclave in Syria and the fate of jihadists' family members becomes a prescient issue, Russia can be seen as a pioneer in systematically returning children of Islamist fighters home. A potential homecoming of the many foreign women who have gone to live in the IS "caliphate" and their children, many of whom were born there, has been a subject of debate in Russia, with some security chiefs seeing them as potential threats. Earlier this month, 27 children, from four to 13 years old, were flown from Iraq to the Moscow region. Clutching stuffed toys and bundled in winter jackets, the children were carried off the cargo plane to face the Russian winter after years in the desert. After health exams, they would be given into the care of their uncles, aunts, and grandparents in the Russian North Caucasus, the majority-Muslim territory in the south of Russia that is home to most of the Russians that had joined the Islamic State group. Another 30 children were brought back in late December. "They attend school and kindergarten. Volunteers work with them and talk to them about what they have been through, explaining how they have been indoctrinated," said Kheda Saratova, an advisor to Chechnya leader Ramzan Kadyrov, who has assumed a central role in the process of repatriating Islamists' relatives. Russian authorities have given sometimes conflicting figures of returnees. Saratova said that about 200 children have been brought to Russia, but nearly 1,400 are still stuck in Iraq and Syria. Kadyrov, a longtime Kremlin protege with vast resources, began efforts to bring back fighters' children in 2017. Diplomatic negotiations are often led by Aleppo-born Chechnya senator Ziyad Sabsabi. Endorsing Kadyrov's efforts, President Vladimir Putin in late 2017 called the drive to return the children "a very honourable and correct deed" and promised to help. "It's very good for the image of Kadyrov. He seems somebody who doesn't just use violence against terrorists but who builds mosques and hands out humanitarian aid," said Grigory Shvedov, who edits a Caucasus-focused news website Caucasian Knot. When he began Russia's intervention in Syria in 2015, Putin justified it by the need to kill jihadists before they come to Russia. Although some regions have tried rehabilitation programmes for Islamic extremists, these have failed to catch on at the national level. Young men who returned from Syria or Iraq and turned themselves in have faced harsh punishment. This month Russia's Supreme Court confirmed a 16-year-term for a young man who went to Syria as a 19-year-old student and worked as a cook and driver on IS-controlled territory for six months. Returning the wives of jihadists is also complicated by the absence of an extradition agreement between Russia and Iraq, where many have been sentenced, sometimes to life, in prison. But there is also reluctance by Russia's powerful security services to bring home adult civilians. FSB chief Alexander Bortnikov in November noted that many women with children exiting conflict zones have been used by jihadists as suicide bombers or recruiters. "The FSB sees them as dangerous, even though many of these wives purchase their freedom from the Kurds and will eventually return one way or another," said Saratova. Any affiliation with Islamic State jihadists is a crime, since the group is banned under Russian law.

Russia pioneering return of 'ISIS children'

The commander of US-backed forces in Syria called on Monday for about 1,000 to 1,500 international forces to remain in Syria to help fight Islamic State and expressed hope that the United States, in particular, would halt plans for a total pullout.

The remarks by Mazloum Kobani, the commander-in-chief of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, followed talks with senior US&nbsp;generals at an airbase in northeast Syria and offered perhaps the most comprehensive view to date of his requests for enduring military assistance from the US-led coalition.

"We would like to have air cover, air support and a force on the ground to coordinate with us," Kobani told a small group of reporters who travelled with the US&nbsp;military to an airbase at an undisclosed location in northeast Syria.

With US&nbsp;help, the Kurdish-led fighters are poised to seize Islamic State's last holdout in eastern Syria. 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.

But Islamic State still has thousands of fighters, who, now dispersed, are expected to turn to guerrilla-style attacks.

Kobani said there were discussions about perhaps French and British troops supporting the SDF in Syria. But he stressed he also wanted at least "a partial group of American forces," who now number more than 2,000 in Syria, to stay as well.

US&nbsp;Army General Joseph Votel, head of Central Command, said after the talks with Kobani that he was still carrying out President Donald Trump's December order for a complete US. withdrawal of American forces.

"We certainly understand what they would like us to do, but of course that's not the path we're on at this particular point," Votel told reporters.

US presence

Asked about any discussions on a continuing US&nbsp;presence in Syria, Votel said: "So the discussion really isn't about US&nbsp;forces staying here. We've looked at potentially what coalition (forces) might be able to do here."

Trump's surprise December decision to withdraw all the US&nbsp;troops from Syria has triggered deep concern among US&nbsp;allies about the risk of an eventual resurgence of Islamic State.

But the pullout raises an even more immediate threat to Kobani's SDF, which fears that Turkey will make good on threats to attack them. He warned of a "new genocide" in SDF controlled areas of Syria.

Kobani thanked Trump for publicly stating his intent to protect the SDF but said: "I want him to live up to his word."

Without a deal with the US-led coalition, experts say Kobani may have to strike a deal with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to avoid a Turkish sweep or a resurgence of Islamic State.

Votel is recommending continued support to the SDF as long as it keeps up pressure on Islamic State militants.

But Army Lieutenant General Paul LaCamera, who is the commander of the US-led coalition battling Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, cautioned on Sunday that the United States would be legally unable to support the SDF if they partnered with Assad or Assad's Russian backers.

Kobani stressed he was not seeking a military deal with Damascus.

Perhaps sensing an opportunity to stoke doubt among the Kurdish communities, Assad warned on Sunday the United States would not protect those depending on it.

"We say to those groups who are betting on the Americans, the Americans will not protect you," he said. "The Americans will put you in their pockets so you can be tools in the barter, and they have started with (it)."

Senator Angus King, an independent from Maine, is among the US&nbsp;lawmakers expressing concern the US&nbsp;withdrawal could deal a devastating blow to Kurdish forces and warned that any sense of US&nbsp;betrayal could cast a long shadow for years to come.

"It will chill future potential groups from assisting us if we're going to treat the people who have been so stalwart on our behalf in this way. It is very dangerous in terms of national security," he has said.

The commander of US-backed forces in Syria called on Monday for about 1,000 to 1,500 international forces to remain in Syria to help fight Islamic State and expressed hope that the United States, in particular, would halt plans for a total pullout.

The commander of US-backed forces in Syria called on Monday for about 1,000 to 1,500 international forces to remain in Syria to help fight Islamic State and expressed hope that the United States, in particular, would halt plans for a total pullout. The remarks by Mazloum Kobani, the commander-in-chief of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, followed talks with senior US generals at an airbase in northeast Syria and offered perhaps the most comprehensive view to date of his requests for enduring military assistance from the US-led coalition. "We would like to have air cover, air support and a force on the ground to coordinate with us," Kobani told a small group of reporters who travelled with the US military to an airbase at an undisclosed location in northeast Syria. With US help, the Kurdish-led fighters are poised to seize Islamic State's last holdout in eastern Syria. 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. But Islamic State still has thousands of fighters, who, now dispersed, are expected to turn to guerrilla-style attacks. Kobani said there were discussions about perhaps French and British troops supporting the SDF in Syria. But he stressed he also wanted at least "a partial group of American forces," who now number more than 2,000 in Syria, to stay as well. US Army General Joseph Votel, head of Central Command, said after the talks with Kobani that he was still carrying out President Donald Trump's December order for a complete US. withdrawal of American forces. "We certainly understand what they would like us to do, but of course that's not the path we're on at this particular point," Votel told reporters. US presence Asked about any discussions on a continuing US presence in Syria, Votel said: "So the discussion really isn't about US forces staying here. We've looked at potentially what coalition (forces) might be able to do here." Trump's surprise December decision to withdraw all the US troops from Syria has triggered deep concern among US allies about the risk of an eventual resurgence of Islamic State. But the pullout raises an even more immediate threat to Kobani's SDF, which fears that Turkey will make good on threats to attack them. He warned of a "new genocide" in SDF controlled areas of Syria. Kobani thanked Trump for publicly stating his intent to protect the SDF but said: "I want him to live up to his word." Without a deal with the US-led coalition, experts say Kobani may have to strike a deal with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to avoid a Turkish sweep or a resurgence of Islamic State. Votel is recommending continued support to the SDF as long as it keeps up pressure on Islamic State militants. But Army Lieutenant General Paul LaCamera, who is the commander of the US-led coalition battling Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, cautioned on Sunday that the United States would be legally unable to support the SDF if they partnered with Assad or Assad's Russian backers. Kobani stressed he was not seeking a military deal with Damascus. Perhaps sensing an opportunity to stoke doubt among the Kurdish communities, Assad warned on Sunday the United States would not protect those depending on it. "We say to those groups who are betting on the Americans, the Americans will not protect you," he said. "The Americans will put you in their pockets so you can be tools in the barter, and they have started with (it)." Senator Angus King, an independent from Maine, is among the US lawmakers expressing concern the US withdrawal could deal a devastating blow to Kurdish forces and warned that any sense of US betrayal could cast a long shadow for years to come. "It will chill future potential groups from assisting us if we're going to treat the people who have been so stalwart on our behalf in this way. It is very dangerous in terms of national security," he has said.

US-backed Syrian forces call for 1,500 coalition troops to stay

The United States will have to sever its military assistance to the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) battling Islamic State if the fighters partner with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad or Russia, a senior US general said on Sunday.

The remarks by Army Lieutenant General Paul LaCamera, who is the commander of the US-led coalition battling Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, underscore the tough decisions facing the SDF as the United States prepares to withdraw its troops from Syria.

Syrian Kurdish leaders have sought talks with Assad's state, hoping to safeguard their autonomous region after the withdrawal of US troops currently backing them.

They fear an attack by neighbouring Turkey, which has threatened to crush the Kurdish YPG militia. Ankara sees the Syrian Kurdish fighters as indistinguishable from the Kurdish PKK movement that has waged an insurgency inside Turkey.

But LaCamera warned that US law prohibits cooperation with Russia as well as Assad's military.

"We will continue to train and arm them as long as they remain our partners," LaCamera said, praising their hard-won victories against Islamic State militants.

When asked if that support would continue if they aligned themselves with Assad, LaCamera said: "No."

"Once that relationship is severed, because they go back to the regime, which we don't have a relationship with, (or) the Russians ... when that happens then we will no longer be partners with them," LaCamera told a small group of reporters.

President Donald Trump's surprise December decision to withdraw all of the more than 2,000 US troops from Syria has triggered deep concern among US allies about the risk of a resurgence of Islamic State.

With US-backing, the SDF has routed Islamic State and is on the verge of recapturing the final bits of its once sprawling territory. But Islamic State still has thousands of fighters, who, now dispersed, are expected to turn to guerrilla-style hit-and-run attacks.

On Friday, the four-star US general overseeing US troops throughout the Middle East, General Joseph Votel, told Reuters that he backed supporting the SDF as needed as long as it kept the pressure on Islamic State militants.

But LaCamera's comments make clear that the SDF may have to choose between backing from Assad, Russia or the United States.

Kurdish forces and Damascus have mostly avoided combat during the war. Assad, who has vowed to recover the entire country, has long opposed Kurdish ambitions for a federal Syria.

Earlier on Sunday, Assad warned the United States would not protect those depending on it, in reference to the Kurdish fighters.

"We say to those groups who are betting on the Americans, the Americans will not protect you," he said without naming them. "The Americans will put you in their pockets so you can be tools in the barter, and they have started with (it)."

Reuters has reported that Trump's decision was in part driven by an offer by Turkey to keep the pressure on Islamic State once the United States withdrew.

But current and former US officials warn Ankara would be unable to replicate the SDF's success across the areas of Syria that the militias captured with US support including arms, airstrikes and advisers.

Brett McGurk, who resigned in December as Trump's special envoy to the US-led coalition against Islamic State, warned last month that the SDF could not be replaced as the provider of stability in areas of Syria formerly held by the militant group. He also cautioned that Turkey, a NATO ally, was not a reliable partner in the fight in Syria.

"The Syrian opposition forces (Turkey) backs are marbled with extremists and number too few to constitute an effective challenge to Assad or a plausible alternative to the SDF," McGurk wrote.

The United States will have to sever its military assistance to the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) battling Islamic State if the fighters partner with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad or Russia, a senior US general said on Sunday.

The United States will have to sever its military assistance to the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) battling Islamic State if the fighters partner with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad or Russia, a senior US general said on Sunday. The remarks by Army Lieutenant General Paul LaCamera, who is the commander of the US-led coalition battling Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, underscore the tough decisions facing the SDF as the United States prepares to withdraw its troops from Syria. Syrian Kurdish leaders have sought talks with Assad's state, hoping to safeguard their autonomous region after the withdrawal of US troops currently backing them. They fear an attack by neighbouring Turkey, which has threatened to crush the Kurdish YPG militia. Ankara sees the Syrian Kurdish fighters as indistinguishable from the Kurdish PKK movement that has waged an insurgency inside Turkey. But LaCamera warned that US law prohibits cooperation with Russia as well as Assad's military. "We will continue to train and arm them as long as they remain our partners," LaCamera said, praising their hard-won victories against Islamic State militants. When asked if that support would continue if they aligned themselves with Assad, LaCamera said: "No." "Once that relationship is severed, because they go back to the regime, which we don't have a relationship with, (or) the Russians ... when that happens then we will no longer be partners with them," LaCamera told a small group of reporters. President Donald Trump's surprise December decision to withdraw all of the more than 2,000 US troops from Syria has triggered deep concern among US allies about the risk of a resurgence of Islamic State. With US-backing, the SDF has routed Islamic State and is on the verge of recapturing the final bits of its once sprawling territory. But Islamic State still has thousands of fighters, who, now dispersed, are expected to turn to guerrilla-style hit-and-run attacks. On Friday, the four-star US general overseeing US troops throughout the Middle East, General Joseph Votel, told Reuters that he backed supporting the SDF as needed as long as it kept the pressure on Islamic State militants. But LaCamera's comments make clear that the SDF may have to choose between backing from Assad, Russia or the United States. Kurdish forces and Damascus have mostly avoided combat during the war. Assad, who has vowed to recover the entire country, has long opposed Kurdish ambitions for a federal Syria. Earlier on Sunday, Assad warned the United States would not protect those depending on it, in reference to the Kurdish fighters. "We say to those groups who are betting on the Americans, the Americans will not protect you," he said without naming them. "The Americans will put you in their pockets so you can be tools in the barter, and they have started with (it)." Reuters has reported that Trump's decision was in part driven by an offer by Turkey to keep the pressure on Islamic State once the United States withdrew. But current and former US officials warn Ankara would be unable to replicate the SDF's success across the areas of Syria that the militias captured with US support including arms, airstrikes and advisers. Brett McGurk, who resigned in December as Trump's special envoy to the US-led coalition against Islamic State, warned last month that the SDF could not be replaced as the provider of stability in areas of Syria formerly held by the militant group. He also cautioned that Turkey, a NATO ally, was not a reliable partner in the fight in Syria. "The Syrian opposition forces (Turkey) backs are marbled with extremists and number too few to constitute an effective challenge to Assad or a plausible alternative to the SDF," McGurk wrote.

We cannot back Syrian forces who align with president Assad: US commander

A United States-backed Syrian militia on Monday said it would declare the defeat of the Islamic State terror organization in the war-torn country in a short time.

On February 9, the Syrian Democratic Forces, an ethnically-mixed militia led by Kurds, launched an offensive against besieged IS militants in the village of Baghuz, the only area still under the radical group's control in the eastern province of Deir al-Zour, near the Iraqi border.

"In a few days, we will be able to announce the total and definitive victory over IS," SDF spokesman Kino Gabriel told EFE.

Gabriel added the release of civilian prisoners held by extremists in Baghuz was being negotiated.

The US-allied fighters have been carrying out offensives against IS-held areas in Syria and have conquered most of the radicals' bastions in Deir al-Zour during the past weeks.

In December, US President Donald Trump surprised allies when he announced the pullout of 2,000 US troops from Syria but has not set a specific date for it yet, a move that led to the resignation of US Defense Secretary James Mattis.

"We have defeated ISIS in Syria, my only reason for being there during the Trump Presidency," Trump tweeted.

His decision drew criticism from the Kurdish militia, as there are fears Turkey could launch an offensive against the SDF, led by the People's Protection Units (YPG).

Turkey considers the YPG as a part of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

Following Trump's announcement, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo embarked last months on an extensive tour of the Middle East in a bid to reassure US allies of Washington's commitment to the region.

He began his trip with a visit to Jordan, followed by Iraq, Egypt, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Oman.

Over the weekend, Trump demanded Europe take in IS militants captured in Syria and threatened the US would be forced to release them otherwise.

"The United States is asking Britain, France, Germany and other European allies to take back over 800 ISIS (another acronym for the Islamic State) fighters that we captured in Syria and put them on trial. The Caliphate is ready to fall. The alternative is not a good one in that we will be forced to release them," he tweeted.

"The US does not want to watch as these ISIS fighters permeate Europe, which is where they are expected to go. We do so much, and spend so much – Time for others to step up and do the job that they are so capable of doing. We are pulling back after 100% Caliphate victory!" Trump added. 
&nbsp;

A United States-backed Syrian militia on Monday said it would declare the defeat of the Islamic State terror organization in the war-torn country in a short time.

A United States-backed Syrian militia on Monday said it would declare the defeat of the Islamic State terror organization in the war-torn country in a short time. On February 9, the Syrian Democratic Forces, an ethnically-mixed militia led by Kurds, launched an offensive against besieged IS militants in the village of Baghuz, the only area still under the radical group's control in the eastern province of Deir al-Zour, near the Iraqi border. "In a few days, we will be able to announce the total and definitive victory over IS," SDF spokesman Kino Gabriel told EFE. Gabriel added the release of civilian prisoners held by extremists in Baghuz was being negotiated. The US-allied fighters have been carrying out offensives against IS-held areas in Syria and have conquered most of the radicals' bastions in Deir al-Zour during the past weeks. In December, US President Donald Trump surprised allies when he announced the pullout of 2,000 US troops from Syria but has not set a specific date for it yet, a move that led to the resignation of US Defense Secretary James Mattis. "We have defeated ISIS in Syria, my only reason for being there during the Trump Presidency," Trump tweeted. His decision drew criticism from the Kurdish militia, as there are fears Turkey could launch an offensive against the SDF, led by the People's Protection Units (YPG). Turkey considers the YPG as a part of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). Following Trump's announcement, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo embarked last months on an extensive tour of the Middle East in a bid to reassure US allies of Washington's commitment to the region. He began his trip with a visit to Jordan, followed by Iraq, Egypt, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Oman. Over the weekend, Trump demanded Europe take in IS militants captured in Syria and threatened the US would be forced to release them otherwise. "The United States is asking Britain, France, Germany and other European allies to take back over 800 ISIS (another acronym for the Islamic State) fighters that we captured in Syria and put them on trial. The Caliphate is ready to fall. The alternative is not a good one in that we will be forced to release them," he tweeted. "The US does not want to watch as these ISIS fighters permeate Europe, which is where they are expected to go. We do so much, and spend so much – Time for others to step up and do the job that they are so capable of doing. We are pulling back after 100% Caliphate victory!" Trump added.

US-backed forces in Syria say they will soon declare defeat of Islamic State

US President Donald Trump Sunday called on his European allies to take back alleged jihadists captured in Syria, as Islamic State group fighters defended the <a href="Last Islamic State 'caliphate' on brink of defeat in east Syria">last scrap of their "caliphate"</a>.

IS declared a proto-state across parts of Syria and neighbouring Iraq in 2014 but has since lost all of it except a tiny patch of less than half a kilometre square near the Iraqi border.

After years of fighting IS, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) hold hundreds of foreigners accused of fighting for the group, and well as related women and children.

Syria's Kurds have repeatedly called for their countries of origin to take them back, but these nations have been reluctant.

The issue has taken on greater urgency, however, amid fears of a security vacuum since Trump's shock announcement in December that US troops would withdraw.

"The United States is asking Britain, France, Germany and other European allies to take back over 800 ISIS fighters that we captured in Syria and put them on trial," Trump said in a tweet, using another acronym for IS.

"The Caliphate is ready to fall. The alternative is not a good one in that we will be forced to release them. The US does not want to watch as these ISIS fighters permeate Europe, which is where they are expected to go."

'European solution'

His tweet prompted a reaction from Paris, Brussels and Berlin.

In Syria, "it is the Kurds who hold them (the French jihadists) and we have every confidence in their ability to keep them detained," French junior interior minister Laurent Nunez told the BFM news channel.

If suspected jihadists return to France, "they will all be tried, and incarcerated," he said.

Coalition member France this month opened the door to bringing back its citizens.

A French source told AFP an estimated 150 French nationals, including 90 children, could be brought back to France, but authorities have not confirmed any planned transfer.

In Belgium, justice minister Koen Geens called for a collective "European solution" to the problem of foreign fighters, urging a solution that carries the least security risks.

"We currently have mothers and children in northern Syria, but also some fighters who are known," he told Belgian public television network VRT.

In Germany, foreign ministry sources said "the federal government is examining options to enable German citizens to leave Syria, especially in humanitarian cases".

Thousands of people have streamed out of the so-called "Baghouz pocket" in recent weeks, but hundreds of civilians are believed to still be inside.

At a collection point for new arrivals outside Baghouz on Sunday, dozens of tents and a few trucks sat empty.

Earlier in the week, the area had been thronging with people -- women and children, but also suspected jihadists led to one side.

"It's been two days since anyone came out," an SDF fighter told AFP.

'Human shields'

SDF spokesman Mustefa Bali said IS had blocked roads out of its holdout, preventing those remaining from escaping to safety.

"Daesh has sealed off all the streets" but up to 2,000 civilians could still be inside, he said, using the Arabic acronym for IS.

A spokesman for the US-led coalition said IS was using these women and children as "human shields".

"Civilians who have escaped are reporting ISIS is using them as human shields and killing innocent civilians in order to intimidate others from trying to leave," Sean Ryan said.

Trump on Friday promised announcements linked to "the eradication of the caliphate" within 24 hours, but a top SDF commander then warned the battle would take a few more days.

Beyond Baghouz, IS still has thousands of fighters and sleeper cells scattered across several countries.

In Syria, it retains a presence in the vast Badia desert, and has claimed deadly attacks in SDF-held territory.

"Over the past month, more than one foreign sleeper cell was arrested in multiple areas in Syria," spokesman Bali said.

Any withdrawal would leave Syria's Kurds exposed to a long-threatened attack by neighbouring Turkey, which views Kurdish fighters as "terrorists".

They have scrambled to seek a new ally in the Damascus government after spending most of Syria's civil war working towards self-rule.

Eight years into the conflict that has killed more than 360,000 people, President Bashar al-Assad's government controls nearly two-thirds of the country.

But the SDF hold around a third of the country still beyond its control.

US President Donald Trump Sunday called on his European allies to take back alleged jihadists captured in Syria, as Islamic State group fighters defended the last scrap of their "caliphate".

US President Donald Trump Sunday called on his European allies to take back alleged jihadists captured in Syria, as Islamic State group fighters defended the last scrap of their "caliphate". IS declared a proto-state across parts of Syria and neighbouring Iraq in 2014 but has since lost all of it except a tiny patch of less than half a kilometre square near the Iraqi border. After years of fighting IS, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) hold hundreds of foreigners accused of fighting for the group, and well as related women and children. Syria's Kurds have repeatedly called for their countries of origin to take them back, but these nations have been reluctant. The issue has taken on greater urgency, however, amid fears of a security vacuum since Trump's shock announcement in December that US troops would withdraw. "The United States is asking Britain, France, Germany and other European allies to take back over 800 ISIS fighters that we captured in Syria and put them on trial," Trump said in a tweet, using another acronym for IS. "The Caliphate is ready to fall. The alternative is not a good one in that we will be forced to release them. The US does not want to watch as these ISIS fighters permeate Europe, which is where they are expected to go." 'European solution' His tweet prompted a reaction from Paris, Brussels and Berlin. In Syria, "it is the Kurds who hold them (the French jihadists) and we have every confidence in their ability to keep them detained," French junior interior minister Laurent Nunez told the BFM news channel. If suspected jihadists return to France, "they will all be tried, and incarcerated," he said. Coalition member France this month opened the door to bringing back its citizens. A French source told AFP an estimated 150 French nationals, including 90 children, could be brought back to France, but authorities have not confirmed any planned transfer. In Belgium, justice minister Koen Geens called for a collective "European solution" to the problem of foreign fighters, urging a solution that carries the least security risks. "We currently have mothers and children in northern Syria, but also some fighters who are known," he told Belgian public television network VRT. In Germany, foreign ministry sources said "the federal government is examining options to enable German citizens to leave Syria, especially in humanitarian cases". Thousands of people have streamed out of the so-called "Baghouz pocket" in recent weeks, but hundreds of civilians are believed to still be inside. At a collection point for new arrivals outside Baghouz on Sunday, dozens of tents and a few trucks sat empty. Earlier in the week, the area had been thronging with people -- women and children, but also suspected jihadists led to one side. "It's been two days since anyone came out," an SDF fighter told AFP. 'Human shields' SDF spokesman Mustefa Bali said IS had blocked roads out of its holdout, preventing those remaining from escaping to safety. "Daesh has sealed off all the streets" but up to 2,000 civilians could still be inside, he said, using the Arabic acronym for IS. A spokesman for the US-led coalition said IS was using these women and children as "human shields". "Civilians who have escaped are reporting ISIS is using them as human shields and killing innocent civilians in order to intimidate others from trying to leave," Sean Ryan said. Trump on Friday promised announcements linked to "the eradication of the caliphate" within 24 hours, but a top SDF commander then warned the battle would take a few more days. Beyond Baghouz, IS still has thousands of fighters and sleeper cells scattered across several countries. In Syria, it retains a presence in the vast Badia desert, and has claimed deadly attacks in SDF-held territory. "Over the past month, more than one foreign sleeper cell was arrested in multiple areas in Syria," spokesman Bali said. Any withdrawal would leave Syria's Kurds exposed to a long-threatened attack by neighbouring Turkey, which views Kurdish fighters as "terrorists". They have scrambled to seek a new ally in the Damascus government after spending most of Syria's civil war working towards self-rule. Eight years into the conflict that has killed more than 360,000 people, President Bashar al-Assad's government controls nearly two-thirds of the country. But the SDF hold around a third of the country still beyond its control.

Donald Trump asks Europe take back jihadists, as IS in last stand in Syria

The Islamic State (ISIS) has been reduced to just 700 square metres in Syria, as the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) launched a major offensive last week to eliminate the terror outfit from the war-torn country, a top commander overseeing the operations said on Saturday.

The offensive is currently taking place in Baghouz Al-Fawqani town located in eastern Syria, said Commander Chia Kobani, head of operations for the SDF, CNN reported.

Kobani said that the SDF fighters have slowed down their advance in order to avoid harming thousands of civilians who are being held by the ISIS as human shields, although the US-backed forces have encircled the terror group`s last stronghold.

The commander underlined that the SDF is taking precautionary steps to free prisoners held by the ISIS, adding that 10 of them have been liberated in recent days.

"Some may be surprised that Baghouz has not yet fallen. But the firing has stopped. The area is within range of our fire. But we are moving cautiously because there are thousands of civilians being held as human shields," Kobani was quoted by CNN as saying.

"In the coming few days, very shortly, we will broadcast the good news to the world, to all the people of the region, the Kurds, the Arabs, the Assyrians, all the people of the region, of the military end of the ISIS terrorist group," he added.

Kobani put forth that the SDF`s efforts would not conclude with the removal of ISIS` presence "on the ground."

"We will move to the next stage to the stage of combating ISIS and its sleeper cells and its remnants in the area in order to secure the safety of this region and the lives of people," he said.

Syria has been embroiled in a civil war since 2011. The grim situation was further aggravated with the establishment of ISIS in Syria and Iraq in 2014, when its de facto leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi declared a "caliphate".

At its peak, the terror outfit controlled huge parts of Iraq and Syria with a population of over 10 million people. However, since 2017, the group has been losing hold on major territories in both countries to US-backed military forces.

The Islamic State (ISIS) has been reduced to just 700 square metres in Syria, as the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) launched a major offensive last week to eliminate the terror outfit from the war-torn country, a top commander overseeing the operations said on Saturday.

The Islamic State (ISIS) has been reduced to just 700 square metres in Syria, as the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) launched a major offensive last week to eliminate the terror outfit from the war-torn country, a top commander overseeing the operations said on Saturday. The offensive is currently taking place in Baghouz Al-Fawqani town located in eastern Syria, said Commander Chia Kobani, head of operations for the SDF, CNN reported. Kobani said that the SDF fighters have slowed down their advance in order to avoid harming thousands of civilians who are being held by the ISIS as human shields, although the US-backed forces have encircled the terror group`s last stronghold. The commander underlined that the SDF is taking precautionary steps to free prisoners held by the ISIS, adding that 10 of them have been liberated in recent days. "Some may be surprised that Baghouz has not yet fallen. But the firing has stopped. The area is within range of our fire. But we are moving cautiously because there are thousands of civilians being held as human shields," Kobani was quoted by CNN as saying. "In the coming few days, very shortly, we will broadcast the good news to the world, to all the people of the region, the Kurds, the Arabs, the Assyrians, all the people of the region, of the military end of the ISIS terrorist group," he added. Kobani put forth that the SDF`s efforts would not conclude with the removal of ISIS` presence "on the ground." "We will move to the next stage to the stage of combating ISIS and its sleeper cells and its remnants in the area in order to secure the safety of this region and the lives of people," he said. Syria has been embroiled in a civil war since 2011. The grim situation was further aggravated with the establishment of ISIS in Syria and Iraq in 2014, when its de facto leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi declared a "caliphate". At its peak, the terror outfit controlled huge parts of Iraq and Syria with a population of over 10 million people. However, since 2017, the group has been losing hold on major territories in both countries to US-backed military forces.

ISIS controlling just 700 square metres in Syria: SDF

A runaway teenager who has divided British opinion after joining the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/islamic-state-pregnant-teens-wish-to-return-stirs-uk-debate-over-jihadi-brides-197691">Islamic State group in Syria but now wants to return</a> home has given birth, her family said on Sunday.&nbsp;

Shamima Begum, whose fate has prompted British soul-searching since she and two friends stirred controversy by fleeing to the terror network in 2015, gave birth to a boy, according to family lawyer Mohammed Akunjee.

"We, the family of Shamima Begum, have been informed that Shamima has given birth to her child," a statement he released on Twitter said.

"We understand that both she and the baby are in good health.

"As yet we have not had direct contact with Shamima, we are hoping to establish communications with her soon so that we can verify the above."

Akunjee told AFP the family had learned about the birth from a translator in an eastern Syria refugee camp where Begum is currently staying.

Begum had previously given birth to two other children, but both died during her time in Syria, she told The Times earlier this week.

Her case has highlighted the challenge for Western governments of dealing with returning jihadist supporters, after she told the newspaper that she wanted to raise her new baby in Britain.

The 19-year-old has expressed no regrets about joining the group and leading politicians, including interior minister Sajid Javid, have said they will try to stop her return.&nbsp;

Akunjee said Sunday Javid was "misunderstanding the law" and that Britain had a responsibility towards Begum and her newborn child.

"A parent has responsibility and so does Britain," he added.

Mixed response

The fresh focus on the case came as Britain's government appeared divided on how to respond to demands from US President Donald Trump that European nations take back hundreds of Islamic State group fighters captured in Syria.

Trump said late Saturday that the United States was asking Britain and other European allies "to take back over 800 ISIS fighters that we captured in Syria and put them on trial."

The demand came as he prepared to declare the end of the group's so-called "caliphate", with US-led Arab and Kurdish forces close to capturing its last territorial holdout in Syria, ahead of a pull-out of American troops.

The prospect has increased concerns about experienced militants and foreign fighters escaping and forming new cells in Syria or beyond, with US allies grappling for weeks with how to respond.

Britain's Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright, a former attorney general -- the country's chief legal adviser -- told the BBC Sunday that it was "obliged, at some stage at least, to take them back".

Noting it was "a matter of international law and domestic law", he said: "It doesn't mean either that we can't seek to hold them to account for their behaviour thus far."

However, writing in The Sunday Times -- under the headline "if you run away to join ISIS, I will use all my power to stop you coming back" -- Javid insisted the government should strip "dangerous individuals of their British citizenship".

He noted Britain had already exercised this power more than 100 times.

"In considering what actions need to be taken now, I have to think about the safety and security of children living in our country," he wrote.

A runaway teenager who has divided British opinion after joining the Islamic State group in Syria but now wants to return home has given birth, her family said on Sunday.

A runaway teenager who has divided British opinion after joining the Islamic State group in Syria but now wants to return home has given birth, her family said on Sunday. Shamima Begum, whose fate has prompted British soul-searching since she and two friends stirred controversy by fleeing to the terror network in 2015, gave birth to a boy, according to family lawyer Mohammed Akunjee. "We, the family of Shamima Begum, have been informed that Shamima has given birth to her child," a statement he released on Twitter said. "We understand that both she and the baby are in good health. "As yet we have not had direct contact with Shamima, we are hoping to establish communications with her soon so that we can verify the above." Akunjee told AFP the family had learned about the birth from a translator in an eastern Syria refugee camp where Begum is currently staying. Begum had previously given birth to two other children, but both died during her time in Syria, she told The Times earlier this week. Her case has highlighted the challenge for Western governments of dealing with returning jihadist supporters, after she told the newspaper that she wanted to raise her new baby in Britain. The 19-year-old has expressed no regrets about joining the group and leading politicians, including interior minister Sajid Javid, have said they will try to stop her return. Akunjee said Sunday Javid was "misunderstanding the law" and that Britain had a responsibility towards Begum and her newborn child. "A parent has responsibility and so does Britain," he added. Mixed response The fresh focus on the case came as Britain's government appeared divided on how to respond to demands from US President Donald Trump that European nations take back hundreds of Islamic State group fighters captured in Syria. Trump said late Saturday that the United States was asking Britain and other European allies "to take back over 800 ISIS fighters that we captured in Syria and put them on trial." The demand came as he prepared to declare the end of the group's so-called "caliphate", with US-led Arab and Kurdish forces close to capturing its last territorial holdout in Syria, ahead of a pull-out of American troops. The prospect has increased concerns about experienced militants and foreign fighters escaping and forming new cells in Syria or beyond, with US allies grappling for weeks with how to respond. Britain's Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright, a former attorney general -- the country's chief legal adviser -- told the BBC Sunday that it was "obliged, at some stage at least, to take them back". Noting it was "a matter of international law and domestic law", he said: "It doesn't mean either that we can't seek to hold them to account for their behaviour thus far." However, writing in The Sunday Times -- under the headline "if you run away to join ISIS, I will use all my power to stop you coming back" -- Javid insisted the government should strip "dangerous individuals of their British citizenship". He noted Britain had already exercised this power more than 100 times. "In considering what actions need to be taken now, I have to think about the safety and security of children living in our country," he wrote.

UK teen who joined IS has given birth in Syria: Family

European nations must take back hundreds of Islamic State group fighters captured in Syria, President Donald Trump said late Saturday, after a delay in announcing what he said would be the end of the "caliphate."

Trump shocked allies in December by declaring the pullout of roughly 2,000 US troops who had been assisting local forces in Syria against IS, whose sole remaining territory is half a square kilometer (one-fifth of a square mile) in eastern Syria.

The pending US pullout set off a countdown for governments whose citizens, having joined IS, were captured by the US-backed, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

"The United States is asking Britain, France, Germany and other European allies to take back over <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-backed-syrian-forces-launch-final-battle-against-islamic-state-enclave-196295">800 ISIS fighters that we captured in Syria</a> and put them on trial," Trump said in a tweet, using another acronym for IS.

"The Caliphate is ready to fall. The alternative is not a good one in that we will be forced to release them. The US&nbsp;does not want to watch as these ISIS fighters permeate Europe, which is where they are expected to go."

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The United States is asking Britain, France, Germany and other European allies to take back over 800 ISIS fighters that we captured in Syria and put them on trial. The Caliphate is ready to fall. The alternative is not a good one in that we will be forced to release them........
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1096980408401625088?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 17, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Once the US-led coalition declares it has taken all IS territories, the White House is expected to withdraw American troops.

When that happens, the risk is high that "foreign terrorist fighters" will escape SDF control, posing a new threat.

For about two weeks, the Trump administration has been pushing its allies to take their citizens home, and the US said it was ready to help in the repatriation, but time has been running out.

Several countries, including France, that have chosen to leave the jihadists in SDF detention now confront a diplomatic, legal, political and logistical puzzle.&nbsp;

"We do so much, and spend so much - Time for others to step up and do the job that they are so capable of doing. We are pulling back after 100% Caliphate victory!" Trump said in his late-Saturday tweets.

On Friday he said announcements on the fall of the caliphate would be made "over the next 24 hours," but that deadline came and went.

Deep transatlantic rift 
An SDF commander said his US-backed forces slowed their advance to protect civilians.

The jihadists declared a "caliphate" in large parts of Syria and neighboring Iraq in 2014, but have since lost all but a tiny patch of territory near the Iraqi border.

Trump's Syria pullout has highlighted the deep trans-Atlantic rift that emerged under his presidency, and the differing views of the two sides were on display Saturday at a security conference in Munich.

A French government source criticized the Trump administration's approach as "we're leaving, you're staying" and added: "They're trying to manage the consequences of a hasty decision and making us carry the responsibility."

European nations must take back hundreds of Islamic State group fighters captured in Syria, President Donald Trump said late Saturday, after a delay in announcing what he said would be the end of the "caliphate.

European nations must take back hundreds of Islamic State group fighters captured in Syria, President Donald Trump said late Saturday, after a delay in announcing what he said would be the end of the "caliphate." Trump shocked allies in December by declaring the pullout of roughly 2,000 US troops who had been assisting local forces in Syria against IS, whose sole remaining territory is half a square kilometer (one-fifth of a square mile) in eastern Syria. The pending US pullout set off a countdown for governments whose citizens, having joined IS, were captured by the US-backed, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). "The United States is asking Britain, France, Germany and other European allies to take back over 800 ISIS fighters that we captured in Syria and put them on trial," Trump said in a tweet, using another acronym for IS. "The Caliphate is ready to fall. The alternative is not a good one in that we will be forced to release them. The US does not want to watch as these ISIS fighters permeate Europe, which is where they are expected to go." The United States is asking Britain, France, Germany and other European allies to take back over 800 ISIS fighters that we captured in Syria and put them on trial. The Caliphate is ready to fall. The alternative is not a good one in that we will be forced to release them........ — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 17, 2019 × Once the US-led coalition declares it has taken all IS territories, the White House is expected to withdraw American troops. When that happens, the risk is high that "foreign terrorist fighters" will escape SDF control, posing a new threat. For about two weeks, the Trump administration has been pushing its allies to take their citizens home, and the US said it was ready to help in the repatriation, but time has been running out. Several countries, including France, that have chosen to leave the jihadists in SDF detention now confront a diplomatic, legal, political and logistical puzzle. "We do so much, and spend so much - Time for others to step up and do the job that they are so capable of doing. We are pulling back after 100% Caliphate victory!" Trump said in his late-Saturday tweets. On Friday he said announcements on the fall of the caliphate would be made "over the next 24 hours," but that deadline came and went. Deep transatlantic rift An SDF commander said his US-backed forces slowed their advance to protect civilians. The jihadists declared a "caliphate" in large parts of Syria and neighboring Iraq in 2014, but have since lost all but a tiny patch of territory near the Iraqi border. Trump's Syria pullout has highlighted the deep trans-Atlantic rift that emerged under his presidency, and the differing views of the two sides were on display Saturday at a security conference in Munich. A French government source criticized the Trump administration's approach as "we're leaving, you're staying" and added: "They're trying to manage the consequences of a hasty decision and making us carry the responsibility."

Take back jihadists, Trump tells Europe

US-backed fighters in Syria are poised to capture <a href="NEAR BAGHOUZ, Syria (Reuters) - U.S.-backed fighters in Syria are poised to capture Islamic State's last, tiny enclave on the Euphrates, the battle commander said on Saturday, bringing its self-declared caliphate to the brink of total defeat. Jiya Furat said the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) had cornered the remaining militants in a neighbourhood of Baghouz village near the Iraqi border, under fire from all sides. &quot;In the coming few days, in a very short time, we will spread the good tidings to the world of the military end of Daesh,&quot; he said, using the Arabic acronym for Islamic State. He was speaking after U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday there would be &quot;great announcements&quot; about Syria over the next 24 hours. Trump has sworn to pull U.S. forces from Syria after Islamic State's territorial defeat, raising questions over the fate of Washington's Kurdish allies and Turkish involvement in northeast Syria. As the SDF advanced under heavy U.S. airstrikes in recent days, a stream of civilians fled the few square miles of hamlets and farmland that remain within Islamic State's 'caliphate', along with defeated jihadists trying to escape unnoticed. 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. It ends a project launched from the great mediaeval mosque of Mosul in northern Iraq in 2014, when Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi seized advantage of regional chaos to proclaim himself caliph, suzerain over all Muslim people and land. He set up a governing system with courts, a currency and flag that at its height stretched from northwest Syria almost to Baghdad, encompassing some two million inhabitants. HUMAN SHIELDS But its reign of terror over minorities and other perceived enemies, marked by massacres, sexual slavery and the beheading of hostages, drew a forceful international military response that pushed it steadily back from 2015. M">Islamic State's last, tiny enclave on the Euphrates</a>, the battle commander said on Saturday, bringing its self-declared caliphate to the brink of total defeat.

Jiya Furat said the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) had cornered the remaining militants in a neighbourhood of Baghouz village near the Iraqi border, under fire from all sides.

"In the coming few days, in a very short time, we will spread the good tidings to the world of the military end of Daesh," he said, using the Arabic acronym for Islamic State.

He was speaking after US President Donald Trump said on Friday there would be "great announcements" about Syria over the next 24 hours.

Trump has sworn to pull US forces from Syria after Islamic State's territorial defeat, raising questions over the fate of Washington's Kurdish allies and Turkish involvement in northeast Syria.

As the SDF advanced under heavy US airstrikes in recent days, a stream of civilians fled the few square miles of hamlets and farmland that remain within Islamic State's 'caliphate', along with defeated jihadists trying to escape unnoticed.

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.

It ends a project launched from the great mediaeval mosque of Mosul in northern Iraq in 2014 when Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi seized advantage of regional chaos to proclaim himself caliph, suzerain overall Muslim people and land.

He set up a governing system with courts, currency and flag that at its height stretched from northwest Syria almost to Baghdad, encompassing some two million inhabitants.

Human shields

But its reign of terror over minorities and other perceived enemies, marked by massacres, sexual slavery and the beheading of hostages, drew a forceful international military response that pushed it steadily back from 2015.

Most of the fighters left in Baghouz are foreigners, the SDF has said, among the thousands drawn by Baghdadi's promise of a new jihadist utopia straddling the Iraqi-Syrian border and expunging national borders.

All that remains, said Furat, is an encircled pocket some 700 metres square. "Thousands of civilians are still trapped there as human shields," he said.

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the SDF had taken control of all of Baghouz after the jihadists there surrendered. SDF officials denied this.

Spokesman Mustafa Bali said the SDF had caught several militants trying to flee among the civilians. Others had handed themselves over.

Their fate and that of their families has befuddled foreign governments, with few ready to repatriate citizens who pledged allegiance to a group sworn to their destruction, but who might be hard to legally prosecute. The SDF does not want to hold them indefinitely.

The fate of Baghdadi is also a mystery. He has led the group since 2010 when it was still an underground al-Qaeda offshoot in Iraq.

Still a threat

Its capacity then for strategic retreats in hard times, followed by rebounds when circumstances changed, has prompted numerous warnings that Islamic State's defeat has not ended the threat it poses to the region.

Islamic State suffered crippling defeats in 2017 when Iraq recaptured Mosul, the SDF seized its Syrian capital of Raqqa, and the Damascus government pushed it east to the Euphrates.

But in Iraq it has switched to guerrilla hit-and-run tactics, aimed at undermining the Baghdad government. It has also claimed responsibility for a series of bombings in swathes of northeast Syria held by the SDF, including one last month that killed four Americans.

That attack came soon after Trump pledged to pull out, saying Islamic State was already defeated, rattling allies and prompting defence secretary Jim Mattis to resign.

Turkey, which regards the SDF's strongest component, the Kurdish YPG, as terrorists, has threatened to march deeper into northern Syria to drive it back.

On Friday U.S. Army General Joseph Votel, who oversees US forces in the Middle East as head of Central Command, said the end of the territorial caliphate would lead to a more dispersed, harder-to-detect network of fighters waging guerrilla warfare.

That should require continued help from Washington, he said.

US-backed fighters in Syria are poised to capture Islamic State's last, tiny enclave on the Euphrates, the battle commander said on Saturday, bringing its self-declared caliphate to the brink of total defeat.

US-backed fighters in Syria are poised to capture Islamic State's last, tiny enclave on the Euphrates, the battle commander said on Saturday, bringing its self-declared caliphate to the brink of total defeat. Jiya Furat said the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) had cornered the remaining militants in a neighbourhood of Baghouz village near the Iraqi border, under fire from all sides. "In the coming few days, in a very short time, we will spread the good tidings to the world of the military end of Daesh," he said, using the Arabic acronym for Islamic State. He was speaking after US President Donald Trump said on Friday there would be "great announcements" about Syria over the next 24 hours. Trump has sworn to pull US forces from Syria after Islamic State's territorial defeat, raising questions over the fate of Washington's Kurdish allies and Turkish involvement in northeast Syria. As the SDF advanced under heavy US airstrikes in recent days, a stream of civilians fled the few square miles of hamlets and farmland that remain within Islamic State's 'caliphate', along with defeated jihadists trying to escape unnoticed. 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. It ends a project launched from the great mediaeval mosque of Mosul in northern Iraq in 2014 when Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi seized advantage of regional chaos to proclaim himself caliph, suzerain overall Muslim people and land. He set up a governing system with courts, currency and flag that at its height stretched from northwest Syria almost to Baghdad, encompassing some two million inhabitants. Human shields But its reign of terror over minorities and other perceived enemies, marked by massacres, sexual slavery and the beheading of hostages, drew a forceful international military response that pushed it steadily back from 2015. Most of the fighters left in Baghouz are foreigners, the SDF has said, among the thousands drawn by Baghdadi's promise of a new jihadist utopia straddling the Iraqi-Syrian border and expunging national borders. All that remains, said Furat, is an encircled pocket some 700 metres square. "Thousands of civilians are still trapped there as human shields," he said. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the SDF had taken control of all of Baghouz after the jihadists there surrendered. SDF officials denied this. Spokesman Mustafa Bali said the SDF had caught several militants trying to flee among the civilians. Others had handed themselves over. Their fate and that of their families has befuddled foreign governments, with few ready to repatriate citizens who pledged allegiance to a group sworn to their destruction, but who might be hard to legally prosecute. The SDF does not want to hold them indefinitely. The fate of Baghdadi is also a mystery. He has led the group since 2010 when it was still an underground al-Qaeda offshoot in Iraq. Still a threat Its capacity then for strategic retreats in hard times, followed by rebounds when circumstances changed, has prompted numerous warnings that Islamic State's defeat has not ended the threat it poses to the region. Islamic State suffered crippling defeats in 2017 when Iraq recaptured Mosul, the SDF seized its Syrian capital of Raqqa, and the Damascus government pushed it east to the Euphrates. But in Iraq it has switched to guerrilla hit-and-run tactics, aimed at undermining the Baghdad government. It has also claimed responsibility for a series of bombings in swathes of northeast Syria held by the SDF, including one last month that killed four Americans. That attack came soon after Trump pledged to pull out, saying Islamic State was already defeated, rattling allies and prompting defence secretary Jim Mattis to resign. Turkey, which regards the SDF's strongest component, the Kurdish YPG, as terrorists, has threatened to march deeper into northern Syria to drive it back. On Friday U.S. Army General Joseph Votel, who oversees US forces in the Middle East as head of Central Command, said the end of the territorial caliphate would lead to a more dispersed, harder-to-detect network of fighters waging guerrilla warfare. That should require continued help from Washington, he said.

Last Islamic State 'caliphate' on brink of defeat in east Syria

Nigeria's electoral watchdog on Saturday postponed presidential and parliamentary elections for one week, just hours before polls were due to open.

The voting has been&nbsp;rescheduled on February 23.

The chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Mahmood Yakubu said "proceeding with the election as scheduled is no longer feasible", adding: "Consequently, the commission has decided to reschedule to Saturday, February 23, 2019."

President Muhammadu Buhari faces a tight election contest in Africa's largest economy, top oil producer and most populous nation against the main opposition candidate, businessman and former vice president Atiku Abubakar.

Nigeria is also dealing with pockets of instability. Throughout the day, authorities bolstered security in much of the country on the eve of the vote in Africa's largest democracy where past elections have been marred by violence, voter intimidation and ballot rigging.

Dozens of combat policemen and other security forces were deployed from police headquarters in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state on the country's northeast frontier that has been worst hit by Boko Haram and its offshoot, Islamic State in West Africa Province.

(With inputs from agencies)

Nigeria's electoral watchdog on Saturday postponed presidential and parliamentary elections for one week, just hours before polls were due to open. The voting has been rescheduled on February 23.

Nigeria's electoral watchdog on Saturday postponed presidential and parliamentary elections for one week, just hours before polls were due to open. The voting has been rescheduled on February 23. The chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Mahmood Yakubu said "proceeding with the election as scheduled is no longer feasible", adding: "Consequently, the commission has decided to reschedule to Saturday, February 23, 2019." President Muhammadu Buhari faces a tight election contest in Africa's largest economy, top oil producer and most populous nation against the main opposition candidate, businessman and former vice president Atiku Abubakar. Nigeria is also dealing with pockets of instability. Throughout the day, authorities bolstered security in much of the country on the eve of the vote in Africa's largest democracy where past elections have been marred by violence, voter intimidation and ballot rigging. Dozens of combat policemen and other security forces were deployed from police headquarters in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state on the country's northeast frontier that has been worst hit by Boko Haram and its offshoot, Islamic State in West Africa Province. (With inputs from agencies)

Nigeria: Election postponed hours before polls due to open

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