A bullish US President Donald Trump predicted Wednesday that the Islamic State group would be <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-says-the-us-has-defeated-islamic-state-in-syria-185363">wiped off the map within hours</a>, as he unfurled printouts showing the jihadists' shrinking presence in Iraq and Syria.

Trump claimed American forces have inflicted significant casualties on the battlefield in the past month.

He has signalled the group's imminent demise on several previous occasions, although IS, also known as ISIS, has yet to wave the white flag of surrender.

In one map shown by Trump to reporters in Washington and then again at a rally to workers at a military tank factory in Lima, Ohio, IS territory marked in red extends over large areas.

A second map, he said, shows the extremist organization about to be wiped out.

"There is no red. In fact, there's actually a tiny spot which will be gone by tonight," he said at the White House.

Later in Ohio, standing by M1A2 Abrams tanks painted in camouflage in front of a huge American flag, Trump again used his map props to highlight the military gains against the jihadists.

"When I took over it was a mess, they were all over the place, all over Syria and Iraq," he said of IS, pointing at the red territory.

"And now you look at it, and there's no red," he crowed as workers cheered.&nbsp;

"As of today, this is ISIS, there's none. The caliphate is gone as of tonight."

After sweeping across swathes of Syria and Iraq in 2014, the IS jihadists' cross-border caliphate has been whittled down by multiple offensives to the tiny embattled enclave in Baghouz, Syria.

Fighting continued in Baghouz Wednesday, with the IS jihadists surrounded and under heavy fire from a US-led coalition of Kurds, Syrians and others.

Trump claimed US forces in the last month "have killed the terrorists responsible for the attack in Syria that killed four Americans."

On Tuesday a US-backed force in Syria said it arrested the jihadists suspected of involvement in that January attack, the deadliest on US troops since they deployed in the war-torn country in 2014.

Trump also said US forces have killed those who attacked the Bataclan theater in Paris in 2015, and who orchestrated the 2000 bombing of the USS Cole which left 17 American servicemen dead.

"We killed them all," Trump said. "We killed them all."

In January the US military said that Al-Qaeda operative Jamal al-Badawi, an architect of the bombing, was believed to have been killed in a precision strike in Yemen.

The chief suspect in the USS Cole attack, Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri, is being held in the US detention camp in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

A bullish US President Donald Trump predicted Wednesday that the Islamic State group would be wiped off the map within hours, as he unfurled printouts showing the jihadists' shrinking presence in Iraq and Syria.

A bullish US President Donald Trump predicted Wednesday that the Islamic State group would be wiped off the map within hours, as he unfurled printouts showing the jihadists' shrinking presence in Iraq and Syria. Trump claimed American forces have inflicted significant casualties on the battlefield in the past month. He has signalled the group's imminent demise on several previous occasions, although IS, also known as ISIS, has yet to wave the white flag of surrender. In one map shown by Trump to reporters in Washington and then again at a rally to workers at a military tank factory in Lima, Ohio, IS territory marked in red extends over large areas. A second map, he said, shows the extremist organization about to be wiped out. "There is no red. In fact, there's actually a tiny spot which will be gone by tonight," he said at the White House. Later in Ohio, standing by M1A2 Abrams tanks painted in camouflage in front of a huge American flag, Trump again used his map props to highlight the military gains against the jihadists. "When I took over it was a mess, they were all over the place, all over Syria and Iraq," he said of IS, pointing at the red territory. "And now you look at it, and there's no red," he crowed as workers cheered. "As of today, this is ISIS, there's none. The caliphate is gone as of tonight." After sweeping across swathes of Syria and Iraq in 2014, the IS jihadists' cross-border caliphate has been whittled down by multiple offensives to the tiny embattled enclave in Baghouz, Syria. Fighting continued in Baghouz Wednesday, with the IS jihadists surrounded and under heavy fire from a US-led coalition of Kurds, Syrians and others. Trump claimed US forces in the last month "have killed the terrorists responsible for the attack in Syria that killed four Americans." On Tuesday a US-backed force in Syria said it arrested the jihadists suspected of involvement in that January attack, the deadliest on US troops since they deployed in the war-torn country in 2014. Trump also said US forces have killed those who attacked the Bataclan theater in Paris in 2015, and who orchestrated the 2000 bombing of the USS Cole which left 17 American servicemen dead. "We killed them all," Trump said. "We killed them all." In January the US military said that Al-Qaeda operative Jamal al-Badawi, an architect of the bombing, was believed to have been killed in a precision strike in Yemen. The chief suspect in the USS Cole attack, Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri, is being held in the US detention camp in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Islamic State will be wiped off the map within hours, says Trump

Gravitas: Iran, Iraq & Syria asks US to withdraw troops from Syria

The United States strongly denied Sunday a report that it intended to leave almost 1,000 troops in Syria, adding plans for a residual force of around 200 troops had not changed.

The Wall Street Journal had reported Sunday that as talks with Turkey, US-backed Kurdish forces and European allies have failed to produce a deal on a "safe zone" in northeastern Syria, the US now intended to keep working with Kurdish fighters in the country.

It quoted US officials as saying the plan could see up to 1,000 US forces spread across the country.

"A claim reported this evening by a major US&nbsp;newspaper that the US&nbsp;military is developing plans to keep nearly 1,000 US&nbsp;troops in Syria is factually incorrect," General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in a statement.

"There has been no change to the plan announced in February and we continue to implement the President's direction to draw down US&nbsp;forces to a residual presence."

But he added the US was continuing to "conduct detailed military planning with the Turkish General Staff to address Turkish security concerns along the Turkey-Syria border."&nbsp;

"Planning to date has been productive and we have an initial concept that will be refined in the coming days," he said.

"We are also conducting planning with other members of the Coalition who have indicated an intent to support the transition phase of operations into Syria."

President Donald Trump had abruptly announced in December the immediate and complete withdrawal of the 2,000 US troops deployed in northeastern Syria, declaring victory against the Islamic State group. The decision prompted his defence secretary Jim Mattis to quit.

Then, under pressure from Congress and the Pentagon, he agreed to leave a residual force of some 200 US troops, which he wants to be reinforced by allies in the anti-IS coalition.

An objective of the international force is to guarantee the security of its Syrian Kurd allies. Turkey, a NATO member, views the Kurdish combatants as terrorists, and the Europeans fear they would be vulnerable if Ankara launched an offensive.&nbsp;

The United States strongly denied Sunday a report that it intended to leave almost 1,000 troops in Syria, adding plans for a residual force of around 200 troops had not changed.

The United States strongly denied Sunday a report that it intended to leave almost 1,000 troops in Syria, adding plans for a residual force of around 200 troops had not changed. The Wall Street Journal had reported Sunday that as talks with Turkey, US-backed Kurdish forces and European allies have failed to produce a deal on a "safe zone" in northeastern Syria, the US now intended to keep working with Kurdish fighters in the country. It quoted US officials as saying the plan could see up to 1,000 US forces spread across the country. "A claim reported this evening by a major US newspaper that the US military is developing plans to keep nearly 1,000 US troops in Syria is factually incorrect," General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in a statement. "There has been no change to the plan announced in February and we continue to implement the President's direction to draw down US forces to a residual presence." But he added the US was continuing to "conduct detailed military planning with the Turkish General Staff to address Turkish security concerns along the Turkey-Syria border." "Planning to date has been productive and we have an initial concept that will be refined in the coming days," he said. "We are also conducting planning with other members of the Coalition who have indicated an intent to support the transition phase of operations into Syria." President Donald Trump had abruptly announced in December the immediate and complete withdrawal of the 2,000 US troops deployed in northeastern Syria, declaring victory against the Islamic State group. The decision prompted his defence secretary Jim Mattis to quit. Then, under pressure from Congress and the Pentagon, he agreed to leave a residual force of some 200 US troops, which he wants to be reinforced by allies in the anti-IS coalition. An objective of the international force is to guarantee the security of its Syrian Kurd allies. Turkey, a NATO member, views the Kurdish combatants as terrorists, and the Europeans fear they would be vulnerable if Ankara launched an offensive.

US denies report it is leaving up to 1,000 troops in Syria

US-backed forces said Sunday thousands of people were believed to still be inside the last Islamic State group enclave in eastern Syria, as they sought to flush out die-hard fighters with airstrikes and shelling.

Tens of thousands of dishevelled women, children and men have streamed out of a small pocket in the village of Baghouz near the Iraqi border in recent weeks - and they still keep coming.

The huge numbers have flummoxed the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and slowed down their offensive aimed at dealing a knock-out blow to the jihadists' once-sprawling proto-state.

"Fighting continues as the #SDF advancing into Daesh encampment," SDF spokesman Mustafa Bali said in a tweet late Sunday.

"Several positions captured and ammunition storage has been blown up by our forces. SDF is now holding positions inside the camp in #Baghouz."

At an SDF outpost inside Baghouz on Sunday, an AFP correspondent saw white smoke rising above the IS enclave as the sound of airstrikes and shelling rang out.

A large blaze ravaged the makeshift encampment where holdout IS fighters are making a last stand.&nbsp;

The Kurdish-led force, backed by US-led coalition warplanes, has rained fire on the jihadists for a week, blitzing thousands of fighters and family members into surrender.

But SDF spokesman Kino Gabriel told a news conference Sunday that according to the latest group that quit the pocket, "an estimated 5,000 people" are still holed up inside.

He cautioned, however, that the SDF has not been able to verify that figure.

Those fleeing the pocket have previously reported widely inconsistent figures on the number of people still inside, ranging from thousands to a few hundred.

Surrenders and evacuations

The SDF spokesman said there was no clear timeline for the end of the operation, estimating that it may take several more days at least before IS is driven from its last bastion.

"I hope it won't take more than a week but this is a personal estimate," he said in the village of Sousa in eastern Syria.

Gabriel said that nearly 30,000 IS members and their relatives have surrendered to US-backed forces since January 9, including more than 5,000 fighters.

An additional 34,000 civilians have been evacuated from the IS redoubt over the same period, he said.&nbsp;

The exodus has sparked a humanitarian crisis in Kurdish-run camps for the displaced further north, where civilians have been transported.

More than 1,300 jihadists have been killed and around 520 have been captured in special operations by the SDF since the battle for Baghouz started, Gabriel said.&nbsp;

The SDF said on Saturday that dozens of jihadists and their relatives had handed themselves over.

They include Europeans, Turks, Chinese, Iraqis and Syrians, it said in a statement.&nbsp;

Die-hard jihadists who stayed behind to defend their last bastion have launched a series of suicide bombings in recent days to hamper the SDF advance.

On Friday, IS launched three suicide attacks outside Baghouz, killing six people as they fled the village.

'There is still resistance'

Ali Khalaf Ibrahim, an SDF fighter, told AFP on Sunday that the jihadists were putting up a strong defence.

"Several times they tried to infiltrate (SDF positions) with explosive belts but they were intercepted" by SDF fighters, he said.

At the height of its brutal rule, IS-controlled territory in Syria and Iraq the size of the United Kingdom, with a population of millions.

The total capture of Baghouz by the SDF would mark the end of the cross-border "caliphate" it proclaimed more than four years ago.

But IS still retains a presence in eastern Syria's vast Badia desert and has sleeper cells in the northeast.

Baghouz is the latest front in the Syrian war that has killed 370,000 people since it started in 2011.

Elsewhere in Syria, landmines left behind by IS have killed at least 17 people in a 24-hour period at the weekend, a war monitor said on Sunday.

An ordnance left behind by jihadists exploded in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor on Saturday, killing 16 people and wounding 32 others, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

A separate landmine explosion in the northern province of Aleppo on Sunday killed one person, the Britain-based Observatory said.

Another two SDF fighters were killed Sunday in a mine blast at Hajin, a town near Baghouz, that was claimed by IS in a statement on Telegram.

At least 44 people have been killed in landmine explosions across Syria in the past three weeks, it added.

In Damascus, the UN envoy for Syria held talks on Sunday with Foreign Minister Walid Muallem, who stressed the need for a Syrian-led political solution to the eight-year war.

Norwegian diplomat Geir Pedersen discussed efforts to find a political settlement to the conflict, including moves to form a committee tasked with drawing up a post-war constitution, state media said.

Pedersen arrived in Damascus on Sunday in the second such visit since he took up his post in January.

US-backed forces said Sunday thousands of people were believed to still be inside the last Islamic State group enclave in eastern Syria, as they sought to flush out die-hard fighters with airstrikes and shelling.

US-backed forces said Sunday thousands of people were believed to still be inside the last Islamic State group enclave in eastern Syria, as they sought to flush out die-hard fighters with airstrikes and shelling. Tens of thousands of dishevelled women, children and men have streamed out of a small pocket in the village of Baghouz near the Iraqi border in recent weeks - and they still keep coming. The huge numbers have flummoxed the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and slowed down their offensive aimed at dealing a knock-out blow to the jihadists' once-sprawling proto-state. "Fighting continues as the #SDF advancing into Daesh encampment," SDF spokesman Mustafa Bali said in a tweet late Sunday. "Several positions captured and ammunition storage has been blown up by our forces. SDF is now holding positions inside the camp in #Baghouz." At an SDF outpost inside Baghouz on Sunday, an AFP correspondent saw white smoke rising above the IS enclave as the sound of airstrikes and shelling rang out. A large blaze ravaged the makeshift encampment where holdout IS fighters are making a last stand. The Kurdish-led force, backed by US-led coalition warplanes, has rained fire on the jihadists for a week, blitzing thousands of fighters and family members into surrender. But SDF spokesman Kino Gabriel told a news conference Sunday that according to the latest group that quit the pocket, "an estimated 5,000 people" are still holed up inside. He cautioned, however, that the SDF has not been able to verify that figure. Those fleeing the pocket have previously reported widely inconsistent figures on the number of people still inside, ranging from thousands to a few hundred. Surrenders and evacuations The SDF spokesman said there was no clear timeline for the end of the operation, estimating that it may take several more days at least before IS is driven from its last bastion. "I hope it won't take more than a week but this is a personal estimate," he said in the village of Sousa in eastern Syria. Gabriel said that nearly 30,000 IS members and their relatives have surrendered to US-backed forces since January 9, including more than 5,000 fighters. An additional 34,000 civilians have been evacuated from the IS redoubt over the same period, he said. The exodus has sparked a humanitarian crisis in Kurdish-run camps for the displaced further north, where civilians have been transported. More than 1,300 jihadists have been killed and around 520 have been captured in special operations by the SDF since the battle for Baghouz started, Gabriel said. The SDF said on Saturday that dozens of jihadists and their relatives had handed themselves over. They include Europeans, Turks, Chinese, Iraqis and Syrians, it said in a statement. Die-hard jihadists who stayed behind to defend their last bastion have launched a series of suicide bombings in recent days to hamper the SDF advance. On Friday, IS launched three suicide attacks outside Baghouz, killing six people as they fled the village. 'There is still resistance' Ali Khalaf Ibrahim, an SDF fighter, told AFP on Sunday that the jihadists were putting up a strong defence. "Several times they tried to infiltrate (SDF positions) with explosive belts but they were intercepted" by SDF fighters, he said. At the height of its brutal rule, IS-controlled territory in Syria and Iraq the size of the United Kingdom, with a population of millions. The total capture of Baghouz by the SDF would mark the end of the cross-border "caliphate" it proclaimed more than four years ago. But IS still retains a presence in eastern Syria's vast Badia desert and has sleeper cells in the northeast. Baghouz is the latest front in the Syrian war that has killed 370,000 people since it started in 2011. Elsewhere in Syria, landmines left behind by IS have killed at least 17 people in a 24-hour period at the weekend, a war monitor said on Sunday. An ordnance left behind by jihadists exploded in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor on Saturday, killing 16 people and wounding 32 others, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. A separate landmine explosion in the northern province of Aleppo on Sunday killed one person, the Britain-based Observatory said. Another two SDF fighters were killed Sunday in a mine blast at Hajin, a town near Baghouz, that was claimed by IS in a statement on Telegram. At least 44 people have been killed in landmine explosions across Syria in the past three weeks, it added. In Damascus, the UN envoy for Syria held talks on Sunday with Foreign Minister Walid Muallem, who stressed the need for a Syrian-led political solution to the eight-year war. Norwegian diplomat Geir Pedersen discussed efforts to find a political settlement to the conflict, including moves to form a committee tasked with drawing up a post-war constitution, state media said. Pedersen arrived in Damascus on Sunday in the second such visit since he took up his post in January.

Syria force says 'thousands' still inside last IS pocket

The Syrian army, aided by Russian warplanes, attacked rebel-held towns in northwestern Syria on Wednesday in the most extensive bombardment in months against the last remaining rebel bastion in the country, rebels, rescuers and residents said.

Rebels who have fought to topple President Bashar al-Assad for eight years are now largely confined to the enclave in the northwest near the Turkish border. Around four million people now live there, including hundreds of thousands of opponents of Assad who fled there from other parts of the country.

The enclave is protected by a "de-escalation zone" agreement brokered last year by Assad`s main international backers Russia and Iran, and Turkey which has supported the rebels in the past and has sent troops to monitor the truce.&nbsp;

Residents said Russian planes conducted at least 12 aerial strikes on residential areas in Idlib city, including a civilian prison on its outskirts, where they said dozens of prisoners escaped. At least 10 civilians were killed and forty-five injured.

Russia`s defence ministry confirmed it had hit Idlib in coordination with Turkey, targeting drones and weapons stores of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) jihadists it said were intended for use in an attack on a major Russian air base near the Mediterranean coast.

The jihadist group vowed to take revenge, saying they had recaptured most of the prisoners who escaped whom it said included members of a cell working for Russian intelligence it claimed were behind bombings in Idlib city last month that killed 17 civilians and injured dozens.

"There is no solution against the Russian occupier, Assad`s forces and the Iranian militias except confrontation and confrontation only," Hayat Tahir al Sham said in a statement.&nbsp;

The Syrian army has escalated its shelling of the enclave since early February. The attacks have killed dozens of civilians and injured hundreds, and led to tens of thousands of people fleeing frontline areas to camps and towns closer to the Turkish border, rescuers and aid agencies said.

The Syrian army denies targeting civilians and says the army is responding to stepped-up attacks staged by al Qaeda-inspired fighters who aim to wreck the truce and control the area.

Residents along the border area with Turkey could hear heavy overnight aerial strikes that covered a wide stretch of territory from rebel-held areas near government-held Latakia province on the Mediterranean to Idlib city towards the east and extending to adjoining opposition-held parts of northern Hama.

"They burnt the land ... The sounds were heard very clearly," said Ibrahim al Sheikh, a father of five in the border town of Atmeh. He quoted relatives as saying the shelling was the heaviest yet in the two weeks of escalation.

The escalation in the northwest is taking place as a US-backed Kurdish-led militia has launched a separate assault on the final bastion of Islamic State fighters on the opposite, eastern end of the country, creating turning points on both major fronts of Syria`s multi-sided civil war.

`WHOEVER DID THIS IS A BEAST`

In the northwest, residents said white phosphorous munitions were fired overnight on the town of al Tamana in northwestern Idlib countryside, where rescue workers on Wednesday said they put out several fires caused by more than 80 rocket strikes.&nbsp;

Among the targets of the aerial campaign was a makeshift tent camp in Kfr Amim, east of Idlib city, that shelters displaced families, where two women were killed and at least 10 children injured when bombs landed after midnight.&nbsp;

"Whoever did this is a beast, truly a beast. It`s a camp with only women and children. There is nothing we can say except that this Russian beast is coming to kill," said Laith al Abdullah, a civil defence worker in Sarqeb town who helped in the rescue effort, reached by mobile phone.

Rocket shelling from a major army base in Joreen, in Hama province, escalated a week-long bombardment of rural areas near the town of Jisr al Shaqour, said Ahmed Abdul Salam, a rebel commander in the Turkey-backed National Liberation Front.&nbsp;

A Russian army base, south of government-controlled Halafaya town, also targeted Kafr Zeita in northern Hama countryside while cluster bombs hit several rebel-held towns in southern Idlib, rebels said.

The stepped-up bombardment has depopulated opposition-held towns in the buffer zone that straddles parts of Idlib to northern Hama and parts of Latakia province.

The opposition-held city of Khan Sheikhon had become a ghost city with most of its more than 70,000 people fleeing, said Yousef al Idlibi, a former resident who moved to Idlib city.

Turkey, which began patrols in the buffer zone on Friday, has condemned what it said were increasing provocations to wreck the truce, and warned that a bombing campaign by the Russians and the Syrian army would cause a major humanitarian crisis.

Many residents are exasperated by the failure of Turkish forces to respond to the bombardments. The Syrian army has called for Turkish forces to withdraw.

The Syrian army, aided by Russian warplanes, attacked rebel-held towns in northwestern Syria on Wednesday in the most extensive bombardment in months against the last remaining rebel bastion in the country, rebels, rescuers and residents said.

The Syrian army, aided by Russian warplanes, attacked rebel-held towns in northwestern Syria on Wednesday in the most extensive bombardment in months against the last remaining rebel bastion in the country, rebels, rescuers and residents said. Rebels who have fought to topple President Bashar al-Assad for eight years are now largely confined to the enclave in the northwest near the Turkish border. Around four million people now live there, including hundreds of thousands of opponents of Assad who fled there from other parts of the country. The enclave is protected by a "de-escalation zone" agreement brokered last year by Assad`s main international backers Russia and Iran, and Turkey which has supported the rebels in the past and has sent troops to monitor the truce. Residents said Russian planes conducted at least 12 aerial strikes on residential areas in Idlib city, including a civilian prison on its outskirts, where they said dozens of prisoners escaped. At least 10 civilians were killed and forty-five injured. Russia`s defence ministry confirmed it had hit Idlib in coordination with Turkey, targeting drones and weapons stores of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) jihadists it said were intended for use in an attack on a major Russian air base near the Mediterranean coast. The jihadist group vowed to take revenge, saying they had recaptured most of the prisoners who escaped whom it said included members of a cell working for Russian intelligence it claimed were behind bombings in Idlib city last month that killed 17 civilians and injured dozens. "There is no solution against the Russian occupier, Assad`s forces and the Iranian militias except confrontation and confrontation only," Hayat Tahir al Sham said in a statement. The Syrian army has escalated its shelling of the enclave since early February. The attacks have killed dozens of civilians and injured hundreds, and led to tens of thousands of people fleeing frontline areas to camps and towns closer to the Turkish border, rescuers and aid agencies said. The Syrian army denies targeting civilians and says the army is responding to stepped-up attacks staged by al Qaeda-inspired fighters who aim to wreck the truce and control the area. Residents along the border area with Turkey could hear heavy overnight aerial strikes that covered a wide stretch of territory from rebel-held areas near government-held Latakia province on the Mediterranean to Idlib city towards the east and extending to adjoining opposition-held parts of northern Hama. "They burnt the land ... The sounds were heard very clearly," said Ibrahim al Sheikh, a father of five in the border town of Atmeh. He quoted relatives as saying the shelling was the heaviest yet in the two weeks of escalation. The escalation in the northwest is taking place as a US-backed Kurdish-led militia has launched a separate assault on the final bastion of Islamic State fighters on the opposite, eastern end of the country, creating turning points on both major fronts of Syria`s multi-sided civil war. `WHOEVER DID THIS IS A BEAST` In the northwest, residents said white phosphorous munitions were fired overnight on the town of al Tamana in northwestern Idlib countryside, where rescue workers on Wednesday said they put out several fires caused by more than 80 rocket strikes. Among the targets of the aerial campaign was a makeshift tent camp in Kfr Amim, east of Idlib city, that shelters displaced families, where two women were killed and at least 10 children injured when bombs landed after midnight. "Whoever did this is a beast, truly a beast. It`s a camp with only women and children. There is nothing we can say except that this Russian beast is coming to kill," said Laith al Abdullah, a civil defence worker in Sarqeb town who helped in the rescue effort, reached by mobile phone. Rocket shelling from a major army base in Joreen, in Hama province, escalated a week-long bombardment of rural areas near the town of Jisr al Shaqour, said Ahmed Abdul Salam, a rebel commander in the Turkey-backed National Liberation Front. A Russian army base, south of government-controlled Halafaya town, also targeted Kafr Zeita in northern Hama countryside while cluster bombs hit several rebel-held towns in southern Idlib, rebels said. The stepped-up bombardment has depopulated opposition-held towns in the buffer zone that straddles parts of Idlib to northern Hama and parts of Latakia province. The opposition-held city of Khan Sheikhon had become a ghost city with most of its more than 70,000 people fleeing, said Yousef al Idlibi, a former resident who moved to Idlib city. Turkey, which began patrols in the buffer zone on Friday, has condemned what it said were increasing provocations to wreck the truce, and warned that a bombing campaign by the Russians and the Syrian army would cause a major humanitarian crisis. Many residents are exasperated by the failure of Turkish forces to respond to the bombardments. The Syrian army has called for Turkish forces to withdraw.

Russian and Syrian air strikes intensify on last rebel bastion

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-backed-syrian-forces-resume-assault-on-last-islamic-state-redoubt-202497">Islamic State's final enclave in eastern Syria </a>was pounded with air strikes and artillery on Monday in a US-backed assault aimed at wiping out the last shred of its territorial rule that once spanned a third of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/2018-marked-another-bloody-year-in-syria-187022">Syria</a> and Iraq.

Fires raged after dark in the enclave at Baghouz near the Iraqi border as it was targeted with rockets and thick plumes of smoke rose from the area, Reuters TV footage showed. Heavy gunfire could be heard and flares lit up the night sky.

The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said earlier its fighters were encountering sniper fire and landmines and advancing slowly to avoid losses. The most hardened IS foreign fighters are still holed up in the area, the SDF has said.

Air strikes destroyed IS stores and vehicles, the SDF said.&nbsp;

The defeat of Islamic State at Baghouz will mark a milestone in the campaign against the<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/over-1100-children-were-killed-in-the-syrian-war-in-2018-deadliest-year-202550"> jihadist group</a>, ending its control of populated territory in the area straddling Iraq and Syria where it suddenly expanded in 2014 and declared a caliphate.

However, the group still operates in remote territory elsewhere and has shown it will continue to mount a potent security threat, with a string of insurgent attacks in both countries.&nbsp;

A US defence official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the United States did not believe senior Islamic State leaders were still in Baghouz. 
"We`re pretty confident the leadership is not still down in this tiny little, basically hellhole that remains there," the official said.

"Most of those folks have moved elsewhere as part of our assessment of their movement towards a more clandestine insurgency or preparing for the next fight when they don`t control territory," the official added.

SDF commander Adnan Afrin said many jihadist fighters had been killed or wounded since the assault began on Sunday. Reuters could not independently confirm the death toll.

Islamic State fighters attempted four suicide attacks but the SDF captured an arms dump, said Mustafa Bali, head of the SDF media office. One SDF fighter was killed and four wounded.&nbsp;

The SDF has held off from a full assault for most of the past few weeks as many thousands of people poured from the enclave, including surrendering fighters, Islamic State supporters, other civilians and some of the group`s captives.

By Sunday evening, no more people had come out, prompting the SDF to start its attack. However, on Monday evening a Reuters journalist saw a group of around 100 people, including women and children, coming out of the enclave.

Pro-Syrian government forces hold the opposite bank of the Euphrates across from Baghouz and Iraqi militias are stationed at the border, cutting off any easy escape route for the jihadists.&nbsp;

HARSH CONDITIONS&nbsp;

Inside Baghouz, a squalid area of makeshift shelters, garbage and trenches filmed by Reuters TV on Sunday showed the harsh conditions in the ruins of Islamic State`s `caliphate`.&nbsp;

Amid palm trees and scrubby patches of vegetation, rusting cars stood among the bivouacs made by stringing blankets from rope. Oil drums and plastic barrels lay scattered around.&nbsp;

The SDF has shipped most people fleeing the wreckage of Islamic State`s rule over recent weeks to al-Hol in northeast Syria where some 65,000 people now live in a camp that the UN says was built to house 20,000.&nbsp;

The obdurate support voiced by many of them for Islamic State, particularly among foreigners, has posed a complex security, legal and moral challenge for both the SDF and their own governments.

Those issues were underscored on Friday with the death of the newborn son of Shamima Begum, a British woman who left to join Islamic State when she was a schoolgirl.

On Monday, the head of the United Nations children`s agency UNICEF said there were about 3,000 children from 43 countries living in al-Hol, along with many more Syrian and Iraqi children, in "extremely dire conditions".&nbsp;

"Since the 1st of January 2019, every single day, a child has died fleeing the fight against ISIS," UNICEF head Geert Cappelaere told a news conference in Beirut.

Islamic State's final enclave in eastern Syria was pounded with air strikes and artillery on Monday in a US-backed assault aimed at wiping out the last shred of its territorial rule that once spanned a third of Syria and Iraq.

Islamic State's final enclave in eastern Syria was pounded with air strikes and artillery on Monday in a US-backed assault aimed at wiping out the last shred of its territorial rule that once spanned a third of Syria and Iraq. Fires raged after dark in the enclave at Baghouz near the Iraqi border as it was targeted with rockets and thick plumes of smoke rose from the area, Reuters TV footage showed. Heavy gunfire could be heard and flares lit up the night sky. The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said earlier its fighters were encountering sniper fire and landmines and advancing slowly to avoid losses. The most hardened IS foreign fighters are still holed up in the area, the SDF has said. Air strikes destroyed IS stores and vehicles, the SDF said. The defeat of Islamic State at Baghouz will mark a milestone in the campaign against the jihadist group, ending its control of populated territory in the area straddling Iraq and Syria where it suddenly expanded in 2014 and declared a caliphate. However, the group still operates in remote territory elsewhere and has shown it will continue to mount a potent security threat, with a string of insurgent attacks in both countries. A US defence official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the United States did not believe senior Islamic State leaders were still in Baghouz. "We`re pretty confident the leadership is not still down in this tiny little, basically hellhole that remains there," the official said. "Most of those folks have moved elsewhere as part of our assessment of their movement towards a more clandestine insurgency or preparing for the next fight when they don`t control territory," the official added. SDF commander Adnan Afrin said many jihadist fighters had been killed or wounded since the assault began on Sunday. Reuters could not independently confirm the death toll. Islamic State fighters attempted four suicide attacks but the SDF captured an arms dump, said Mustafa Bali, head of the SDF media office. One SDF fighter was killed and four wounded. The SDF has held off from a full assault for most of the past few weeks as many thousands of people poured from the enclave, including surrendering fighters, Islamic State supporters, other civilians and some of the group`s captives. By Sunday evening, no more people had come out, prompting the SDF to start its attack. However, on Monday evening a Reuters journalist saw a group of around 100 people, including women and children, coming out of the enclave. Pro-Syrian government forces hold the opposite bank of the Euphrates across from Baghouz and Iraqi militias are stationed at the border, cutting off any easy escape route for the jihadists. HARSH CONDITIONS Inside Baghouz, a squalid area of makeshift shelters, garbage and trenches filmed by Reuters TV on Sunday showed the harsh conditions in the ruins of Islamic State`s `caliphate`. Amid palm trees and scrubby patches of vegetation, rusting cars stood among the bivouacs made by stringing blankets from rope. Oil drums and plastic barrels lay scattered around. The SDF has shipped most people fleeing the wreckage of Islamic State`s rule over recent weeks to al-Hol in northeast Syria where some 65,000 people now live in a camp that the UN says was built to house 20,000. The obdurate support voiced by many of them for Islamic State, particularly among foreigners, has posed a complex security, legal and moral challenge for both the SDF and their own governments. Those issues were underscored on Friday with the death of the newborn son of Shamima Begum, a British woman who left to join Islamic State when she was a schoolgirl. On Monday, the head of the United Nations children`s agency UNICEF said there were about 3,000 children from 43 countries living in al-Hol, along with many more Syrian and Iraqi children, in "extremely dire conditions". "Since the 1st of January 2019, every single day, a child has died fleeing the fight against ISIS," UNICEF head Geert Cappelaere told a news conference in Beirut.

Last Islamic State enclave in eastern Syria pounded in US-backed assault

Morocco said Sunday it had repatriated eight of its <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/more-civilians-leave-islamic-states-syria-enclave-delaying-final-assault-202339">nationals from Syria</a>, who will be investigated for "suspected involvement in acts linked to terrorism".

"The competent Moroccan authorities proceeded on March 10 to repatriate a group of eight Moroccan citizens who were in conflict zones in Syria," the interior ministry said in a statement.

The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, which is spearheading a final offensive against the Islamic State group's last redoubt, confirmed its involvement in the transfer.

The force "handed over some citizens from Morocco who used to stay in camps of northeast Syria to the Moroccan government," SDF spokesman Mustefa Bali wrote on Twitter.

Backed by an international military coalition, the SDF has arrested thousands of IS jihadists who have fled the shrinking stronghold.

Many of those flooding out of IS territory are foreign fighters and their families -- including some Moroccan women, according to AFP journalists on the ground.

Sunday's operation had a "humanitarian character" and allowed the Moroccans to return to their home country safely, the ministry added.

In 2015, the number of Moroccans in jihadist ranks in Iraq and Syria was estimated at more than 1,600.

Those who return are arrested and receive sentences of 10 to 15 years in prison.

Syria's multi-fronted war has killed more than 360,000 and displaced millions since it erupted in the wake of the government's bloody repression of street protests in 2011.

The SDF wants foreign fighters and their families to be repatriated by their countries of origin.

Rabat's move was praised by the United States, which said such actions "should encourage other nations to repatriate and prosecute their citizens" who have joined IS.

"Repatriating foreign terrorist fighters to their countries of origin is the best solution to prevent them from returning to the battlefield," State Department spokesman Robert Palladino said.

Washington last month said it would not allow a US-born woman who had joined IS in Syria, Hoda Muthana, back into the country and declared she was not an American citizen.&nbsp;

Morocco said Sunday it had repatriated eight of its nationals from Syria, who will be investigated for "suspected involvement in acts linked to terrorism". "The competent Moroccan authorities proceeded on March 10 to repatriate a group of eight Moroccan citizens who were in conflict zones in Syria," the interior ministry said in a statement.

Morocco said Sunday it had repatriated eight of its nationals from Syria, who will be investigated for "suspected involvement in acts linked to terrorism". "The competent Moroccan authorities proceeded on March 10 to repatriate a group of eight Moroccan citizens who were in conflict zones in Syria," the interior ministry said in a statement. The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, which is spearheading a final offensive against the Islamic State group's last redoubt, confirmed its involvement in the transfer. The force "handed over some citizens from Morocco who used to stay in camps of northeast Syria to the Moroccan government," SDF spokesman Mustefa Bali wrote on Twitter. Backed by an international military coalition, the SDF has arrested thousands of IS jihadists who have fled the shrinking stronghold. Many of those flooding out of IS territory are foreign fighters and their families -- including some Moroccan women, according to AFP journalists on the ground. Sunday's operation had a "humanitarian character" and allowed the Moroccans to return to their home country safely, the ministry added. In 2015, the number of Moroccans in jihadist ranks in Iraq and Syria was estimated at more than 1,600. Those who return are arrested and receive sentences of 10 to 15 years in prison. Syria's multi-fronted war has killed more than 360,000 and displaced millions since it erupted in the wake of the government's bloody repression of street protests in 2011. The SDF wants foreign fighters and their families to be repatriated by their countries of origin. Rabat's move was praised by the United States, which said such actions "should encourage other nations to repatriate and prosecute their citizens" who have joined IS. "Repatriating foreign terrorist fighters to their countries of origin is the best solution to prevent them from returning to the battlefield," State Department spokesman Robert Palladino said. Washington last month said it would not allow a US-born woman who had joined IS in Syria, Hoda Muthana, back into the country and declared she was not an American citizen.

Morocco repatriates eight alleged jihadists from Syria

UNICEF on Sunday warned that 1,106 children died during fighting in Syria in 2018, the deadliest year for children since the war began eight years ago and called on the parties involved in the conflict to prioritize the protection of children.

The Executive Director of the UN Children's Fund, Henrietta Fore, said in a statement dated Monday that these are the verified figures and the real ones are "likely much higher," and called for support for the donors' conference in Brussels which starts on March 12.

"Today, there exists an alarming misconception that the conflict in Syria is drawing quickly to a close - it is not. Children in parts of the country remain in as much danger as at any other time during the eight-year conflict," she said in the statement.

UNICEF points out that mine contamination is the leading cause of child casualties in Syria and unexploded ordnance accounted for 434 deaths and injuries last year, while there were a record number of attacks on education and health institutions, 262 in total.

Fore said she was "particularly concerned about the situation in Idlib in northwestern Syria where intensification of violence has reportedly killed 59 children in the past few weeks alone."

She noted that children and families "in no man's lands continue to live in limbo" and in Rukban, near the Jordanian border, their situation "continues to be desperate, with limited access to food, water, shelter, health care and education."

She also warned of worsening conditions in the Al Hol camp in the north-east of Syria, which is home to more than 65,000 people, of whom some 240 are unaccompanied or separated children.

"Since January this year, nearly 60 children reportedly died while making the 300-kilometre trek from Baghouz to the camp," UNICEF said.

The UN agency also draws attention to the future of children of foreign fighters in Syria, which "remains unclear", and calls on member states to take responsibility for those children who are their citizens or descendants of their nationals and to take measures to prevent them from becoming stateless.

The neighbouring countries of the region, meanwhile, are home to 2.6 million Syrian refugee children, many of whose families, despite the help of host governments and the UN, cannot send them to school and resort to child labour or child marriage due to lack of income.

As Syria faces its ninth year of the war, UNICEF "again reminds parties to the conflict and the global community that it is the country's children who have suffered most and have the most to lose. Each day the conflict continues is another day stolen from their childhood."

Fore, therefore asks to prioritize "the protection of all children, no matter who controls which area" and regardless of the affiliations of their families, promoting access to families in need of support and solutions for those who voluntarily choose not to return and maintaining stable funding.

On the eve of the donors' conference in Brussels, Fore urged them "to maintain their generosity towards the children of Syria and neighbouring countries. Predictable, unrestricted, multi-year funding is required to meet the immediate and longer-term needs of children and their families inside Syria and across the region."

UNICEF on Sunday warned that 1,106 children died during fighting in Syria in 2018, the deadliest year for children since the war began eight years ago and called on the parties involved in the conflict to prioritize the protection of children.

UNICEF on Sunday warned that 1,106 children died during fighting in Syria in 2018, the deadliest year for children since the war began eight years ago and called on the parties involved in the conflict to prioritize the protection of children. The Executive Director of the UN Children's Fund, Henrietta Fore, said in a statement dated Monday that these are the verified figures and the real ones are "likely much higher," and called for support for the donors' conference in Brussels which starts on March 12. "Today, there exists an alarming misconception that the conflict in Syria is drawing quickly to a close - it is not. Children in parts of the country remain in as much danger as at any other time during the eight-year conflict," she said in the statement. UNICEF points out that mine contamination is the leading cause of child casualties in Syria and unexploded ordnance accounted for 434 deaths and injuries last year, while there were a record number of attacks on education and health institutions, 262 in total. Fore said she was "particularly concerned about the situation in Idlib in northwestern Syria where intensification of violence has reportedly killed 59 children in the past few weeks alone." She noted that children and families "in no man's lands continue to live in limbo" and in Rukban, near the Jordanian border, their situation "continues to be desperate, with limited access to food, water, shelter, health care and education." She also warned of worsening conditions in the Al Hol camp in the north-east of Syria, which is home to more than 65,000 people, of whom some 240 are unaccompanied or separated children. "Since January this year, nearly 60 children reportedly died while making the 300-kilometre trek from Baghouz to the camp," UNICEF said. The UN agency also draws attention to the future of children of foreign fighters in Syria, which "remains unclear", and calls on member states to take responsibility for those children who are their citizens or descendants of their nationals and to take measures to prevent them from becoming stateless. The neighbouring countries of the region, meanwhile, are home to 2.6 million Syrian refugee children, many of whose families, despite the help of host governments and the UN, cannot send them to school and resort to child labour or child marriage due to lack of income. As Syria faces its ninth year of the war, UNICEF "again reminds parties to the conflict and the global community that it is the country's children who have suffered most and have the most to lose. Each day the conflict continues is another day stolen from their childhood." Fore, therefore asks to prioritize "the protection of all children, no matter who controls which area" and regardless of the affiliations of their families, promoting access to families in need of support and solutions for those who voluntarily choose not to return and maintaining stable funding. On the eve of the donors' conference in Brussels, Fore urged them "to maintain their generosity towards the children of Syria and neighbouring countries. Predictable, unrestricted, multi-year funding is required to meet the immediate and longer-term needs of children and their families inside Syria and across the region."

Over 1,100 children were killed in the Syrian war in 2018, deadliest year

WION Speed News: Watch top national and international news of the morning, 10th March, 2019

The week that was, in pictures

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

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

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

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

The battle against the Islamic State group is "far from over" and the jihadists remain unbroken and prepared for a resurgence despite the elimination of their physical base in Syria, a top US commander said Thursday.

"Reduction of the physical caliphate is a monumental military accomplishment -- but the fight against ISIS and violent extremism is far from over and our mission remains the same," General Joseph Votel, head of the US Central Command, told Congress.

"The ISIS population being evacuated from the remaining vestiges of the caliphate largely remains unrepentant, unbroken and radicalized. We will need to maintain a vigilant offensive against this now widely dispersed and disaggregated organization," he said.

The battle against the Islamic State group is "far from over" and the jihadists remain unbroken and prepared for a resurgence despite the elimination of their physical base in Syria, a top US commander said Thursday.

The battle against the Islamic State group is "far from over" and the jihadists remain unbroken and prepared for a resurgence despite the elimination of their physical base in Syria, a top US commander said Thursday. "Reduction of the physical caliphate is a monumental military accomplishment -- but the fight against ISIS and violent extremism is far from over and our mission remains the same," General Joseph Votel, head of the US Central Command, told Congress. "The ISIS population being evacuated from the remaining vestiges of the caliphate largely remains unrepentant, unbroken and radicalized. We will need to maintain a vigilant offensive against this now widely dispersed and disaggregated organization," he said.

Fight against Islamic State 'far from over': US commander

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

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

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

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

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/syria-fighters-say-islamic-state-still-holds-civilians-slowing-attack-201109">US-backed forces in Syria</a> are holding more than 2,000 suspected Islamic State fighters, US defence officials said, at least double previous estimates and an obstacle to Trump administration plans to withdraw American forces from Syria, Dow Jones Newswires reported in an article provided to EFE on Wednesday.

The new estimate compounds the challenge of relocating the captured Islamic State fighters to their home countries and makes it harder for the US-led coalition to wind down operations in Syria, even after the extremists no longer hold territory. The development puts a greater burden on the US, which now may have to help US-allied forces detain the captured Islamic State fighters or prepare them for release.

The US military estimated last fall that the American-supported Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF, was holding 800 foreign fighters from more than 50 countries. The numbers have increased by hundreds in the past two weeks, American defence officials said, as SDF members reclaimed territory from Islamic State and taken suspected fighters into custody. The war is in its final days, officials say.

In addition, defence officials revealed another group of at least 1,000 suspected Syrian and Iraqi extremist fighters who are in detention in Syria, a figure they didn't previously disclose. The actual number of those fighters could be even higher, officials acknowledged.

"I would characterize the number of ISIS fighters currently in SDF custody as thousands," Navy Commander Sean Robertson, a Pentagon spokesman, said in a statement, referring to Islamic State.

President Trump in December said he wanted to remove all of the more than 2,000 US troops from Syria. Last month, he shifted course under pressure from US allies and US military and diplomatic officials and agreed to keep hundreds of American troops in place.

The numbers of Islamic State fighters detained by the SDF are likely to continue to shift in coming days as the US-backed forces continue to reclaim land from Islamic State, officials said.

Over the weekend, more than 3,000 people, including 500 suspected fighters and civilians, surrendered to SDF around the eastern city of Baghouz, according to a Twitter message Monday by an SDF spokesman. In Baghouz, SDF and Islamic State are fighting over the last remnants of territory under the extremists' control.

The SDF said this week it had released 283 suspected Islamic State members as a "gesture of cooperation, fraternity and clemency," saying those released had "no blood on their hands."

The Kurdish and Arab fighters of the SDF, which the US considers to be the most effective fighting partner against Islamic State in northern Syria, had agreed to detain the terrorists as they captured them over the last few years, holding them in various camps in northern Syria.

As the US prepares to declare the end of the Islamic State caliphate, the physical terrain that up until now was controlled by the group, Washington has urged allies to take back foreign fighters from their respective countries. Although scores of detainees have been returned to their home countries, US officials acknowledge the process has gone slowly.

"These fighters are a global problem that requires global cooperation to solve," Cmdr. Robertson said. "We recognize the strain this puts on the SDF and appreciates their willingness to assist with this important task."

Most nations, however, have said they don't want to reclaim their nationals. Asking the SDF to continue holding suspected the prisoners could require the U.S. and its partners to give the SDF financial support as well as ensure that the detention centres don't violate international standards. It also isn't clear who would get custody of suspected Islamic State fighters who are Syrian.

"It creates a massive bottleneck for the SDF, which does not have the resources dedicated to house them, process them and to find a means by which to repatriate them to their home countries," said Nicholas Heras, a fellow with the Center for a New American Security's Middle East Security Program. "The countries of origin have different reasons for wanting to keep those fighters in Syria, but they can't be kept there indefinitely."

Iraq has taken back 200 fighters and said it could take 300 more, officials said. Last month, Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi said Iraq would put foreign fighters suspected of launching attacks on Iraq on trial.

But Iraqi nationals who are suspected Islamic State supporters or members often can use family and tribal connections that extend across the Syrian-Iraqi border. They can "make their way back to Iraq without anyone having any idea where they are, what role they played in the ISIS organization or their ability in the future to advance the goals of ISIS incognito within the Iraqi population," Mr Heras said.

The figures of those imprisoned as fighters by the SDF don't include family members who were affiliated with Islamic State. Thousands of relatives now are being held in camps. The US and United Kingdom each have said they deny requests from women who have married Islamic State fighters to return home. The US has declared that one such woman, Hoda Muthana doesn't hold US citizenship; her father has filed a lawsuit intended to force the government to recognize her US citizenship.&nbsp;

US-backed forces in Syria are holding more than 2,000 suspected Islamic State fighters, US defence officials said, at least double previous estimates and an obstacle to Trump administration plans to withdraw American forces from Syria, Dow Jones Newswires reported in an article provided to EFE on Wednesday.

US-backed forces in Syria are holding more than 2,000 suspected Islamic State fighters, US defence officials said, at least double previous estimates and an obstacle to Trump administration plans to withdraw American forces from Syria, Dow Jones Newswires reported in an article provided to EFE on Wednesday. The new estimate compounds the challenge of relocating the captured Islamic State fighters to their home countries and makes it harder for the US-led coalition to wind down operations in Syria, even after the extremists no longer hold territory. The development puts a greater burden on the US, which now may have to help US-allied forces detain the captured Islamic State fighters or prepare them for release. The US military estimated last fall that the American-supported Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF, was holding 800 foreign fighters from more than 50 countries. The numbers have increased by hundreds in the past two weeks, American defence officials said, as SDF members reclaimed territory from Islamic State and taken suspected fighters into custody. The war is in its final days, officials say. In addition, defence officials revealed another group of at least 1,000 suspected Syrian and Iraqi extremist fighters who are in detention in Syria, a figure they didn't previously disclose. The actual number of those fighters could be even higher, officials acknowledged. "I would characterize the number of ISIS fighters currently in SDF custody as thousands," Navy Commander Sean Robertson, a Pentagon spokesman, said in a statement, referring to Islamic State. President Trump in December said he wanted to remove all of the more than 2,000 US troops from Syria. Last month, he shifted course under pressure from US allies and US military and diplomatic officials and agreed to keep hundreds of American troops in place. The numbers of Islamic State fighters detained by the SDF are likely to continue to shift in coming days as the US-backed forces continue to reclaim land from Islamic State, officials said. Over the weekend, more than 3,000 people, including 500 suspected fighters and civilians, surrendered to SDF around the eastern city of Baghouz, according to a Twitter message Monday by an SDF spokesman. In Baghouz, SDF and Islamic State are fighting over the last remnants of territory under the extremists' control. The SDF said this week it had released 283 suspected Islamic State members as a "gesture of cooperation, fraternity and clemency," saying those released had "no blood on their hands." The Kurdish and Arab fighters of the SDF, which the US considers to be the most effective fighting partner against Islamic State in northern Syria, had agreed to detain the terrorists as they captured them over the last few years, holding them in various camps in northern Syria. As the US prepares to declare the end of the Islamic State caliphate, the physical terrain that up until now was controlled by the group, Washington has urged allies to take back foreign fighters from their respective countries. Although scores of detainees have been returned to their home countries, US officials acknowledge the process has gone slowly. "These fighters are a global problem that requires global cooperation to solve," Cmdr. Robertson said. "We recognize the strain this puts on the SDF and appreciates their willingness to assist with this important task." Most nations, however, have said they don't want to reclaim their nationals. Asking the SDF to continue holding suspected the prisoners could require the U.S. and its partners to give the SDF financial support as well as ensure that the detention centres don't violate international standards. It also isn't clear who would get custody of suspected Islamic State fighters who are Syrian. "It creates a massive bottleneck for the SDF, which does not have the resources dedicated to house them, process them and to find a means by which to repatriate them to their home countries," said Nicholas Heras, a fellow with the Center for a New American Security's Middle East Security Program. "The countries of origin have different reasons for wanting to keep those fighters in Syria, but they can't be kept there indefinitely." Iraq has taken back 200 fighters and said it could take 300 more, officials said. Last month, Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi said Iraq would put foreign fighters suspected of launching attacks on Iraq on trial. But Iraqi nationals who are suspected Islamic State supporters or members often can use family and tribal connections that extend across the Syrian-Iraqi border. They can "make their way back to Iraq without anyone having any idea where they are, what role they played in the ISIS organization or their ability in the future to advance the goals of ISIS incognito within the Iraqi population," Mr Heras said. The figures of those imprisoned as fighters by the SDF don't include family members who were affiliated with Islamic State. Thousands of relatives now are being held in camps. The US and United Kingdom each have said they deny requests from women who have married Islamic State fighters to return home. The US has declared that one such woman, Hoda Muthana doesn't hold US citizenship; her father has filed a lawsuit intended to force the government to recognize her US citizenship.

US-backed forces are holding 2,000 suspected Islamic State fighters in Syria

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Syria fighters say Islamic State still holds civilians, slowing attack

The world this week, in pictures

A Syrian jihadist group linked to Al-Qaeda killed 21 regime and allied forces Sunday near Idlib province, in one of the deadliest breaches of a six-month-old truce deal, a monitor said.

"At dawn, 21 fighters from the regime forces or allied militia were killed in an attack by Ansar al-Tawhid jihadists," the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

"Five jihadists were also killed," Rami Abdel Rahman, the director of the Britain-based monitoring group, said.

Ansar al-Tawhid has ties to the larger Hurras al-Deen group, which is also active in the area. Both are considered semi-officials franchises of Al-Qaeda in Syria.

The area of Idlib and small parts of the adjacent provinces of Hama and Aleppo are mostly controlled by the rival Hayat Tahrir al-Sham organisation. HTS is led by fighters who formerly belonged to Al-Qaeda's ex-affiliate in Syria.

Sunday's deadly attack was carried out against regime positions in the village of Masasna, in the north of Hama province, the Observatory said.

"It was one of the highest casualty figures among regime ranks since the Putin-Erdogan deal," Abdel Rahman said.

He was referring to an agreement reached in the Russian resort of Sochi between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Under the September 17 deal, Turkey was supposed to exert its influence over anti-regime groups in the Idlib region to get them to pull back their fighters and heavy weapons from a demilitarised zone.

The agreement was meant to stave off a planned offensive by the regime and its Russian backers that aid groups feared could spark the eight-year-old Syrian conflict's worst humanitarian crisis yet.

The government assault on the last major bastion of forces opposed to President Bashar al-Assad's rule has indeed been held off but the deal's provisions have not been implemented and the de facto truce looks shakier than ever.

Since the Sochi agreement, HTS has consolidated its grip on the Idlib province and Turkey appears to be in no position to deliver on its commitment.

Breaches of the demilitarised zone have spiked in recent days. Another 20 regime and allied forces were killed in three days of clashes about a week ago.&nbsp;

A Syrian jihadist group linked to Al-Qaeda killed 21 regime and allied forces Sunday near Idlib province, in one of the deadliest breaches of a six-month-old truce deal, a monitor said.

A Syrian jihadist group linked to Al-Qaeda killed 21 regime and allied forces Sunday near Idlib province, in one of the deadliest breaches of a six-month-old truce deal, a monitor said. "At dawn, 21 fighters from the regime forces or allied militia were killed in an attack by Ansar al-Tawhid jihadists," the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. "Five jihadists were also killed," Rami Abdel Rahman, the director of the Britain-based monitoring group, said. Ansar al-Tawhid has ties to the larger Hurras al-Deen group, which is also active in the area. Both are considered semi-officials franchises of Al-Qaeda in Syria. The area of Idlib and small parts of the adjacent provinces of Hama and Aleppo are mostly controlled by the rival Hayat Tahrir al-Sham organisation. HTS is led by fighters who formerly belonged to Al-Qaeda's ex-affiliate in Syria. Sunday's deadly attack was carried out against regime positions in the village of Masasna, in the north of Hama province, the Observatory said. "It was one of the highest casualty figures among regime ranks since the Putin-Erdogan deal," Abdel Rahman said. He was referring to an agreement reached in the Russian resort of Sochi between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Under the September 17 deal, Turkey was supposed to exert its influence over anti-regime groups in the Idlib region to get them to pull back their fighters and heavy weapons from a demilitarised zone. The agreement was meant to stave off a planned offensive by the regime and its Russian backers that aid groups feared could spark the eight-year-old Syrian conflict's worst humanitarian crisis yet. The government assault on the last major bastion of forces opposed to President Bashar al-Assad's rule has indeed been held off but the deal's provisions have not been implemented and the de facto truce looks shakier than ever. Since the Sochi agreement, HTS has consolidated its grip on the Idlib province and Turkey appears to be in no position to deliver on its commitment. Breaches of the demilitarised zone have spiked in recent days. Another 20 regime and allied forces were killed in three days of clashes about a week ago.

Al-Qaeda-linked Syria group kills 21 regime forces: Monitor

Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapon (OPCW) on Friday revealed that chlorine was used during the April 2018 chemical attack in Syria's Douma.

"The evaluation and analysis of all the above-referenced information gathered by the FFM provide reasonable grounds that the use of a toxic chemical as a weapon has taken place on 7 April 2018. This toxic chemical contained reactive chlorine. The toxic chemical was likely molecular chlorine," the OPCW said in a statement.

On April 7, an unconfirmed chemical strike was carried out in Syria's Douma, a rebel-controlled town in Eastern Ghouta, claiming the lives of over 70 civilians, including children.

Amid the speculation that the chemical was used in the attack, the OPCW Fact-Finding Mission (FFM) which was set up in 2014 with an on-going mandate “to establish facts surrounding allegations of the use of toxic chemicals, reportedly chlorine, for hostile purposes in the Syrian Arab Republic”, initiated the investigation to ensure whether the chemical was used or not.

On 6 July 2018, OPCW issued an interim report on the investigation regarding the allegations of chemical weapons use in Douma in April 2018.

The White Helmets, a voluntary aide group, pinned the blame for the assault, which claimed more than 70 civilian lives, on the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime.

However, the regime has rejected the claim, calling it a "fabrication" by Jaish al-Islam, the Islamist group controlling the area. Russia, which has backed Assad throughout the seven-year-long civil war, rejected the claim too.

The FFM has also previously determined that the use of chlorine, sulfur mustard, and sarin as chemical weapons took place in other incidents in Syria.&nbsp;

Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapon (OPCW) on Friday revealed that chlorine was used during the April 2018 chemical attack in Syria's Douma. "The evaluation and analysis of all the above-referenced information gathered by the FFM provide reasonable grounds that the use of a toxic chemical as a weapon has taken place on 7 April 2018.

Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapon (OPCW) on Friday revealed that chlorine was used during the April 2018 chemical attack in Syria's Douma. "The evaluation and analysis of all the above-referenced information gathered by the FFM provide reasonable grounds that the use of a toxic chemical as a weapon has taken place on 7 April 2018. This toxic chemical contained reactive chlorine. The toxic chemical was likely molecular chlorine," the OPCW said in a statement. On April 7, an unconfirmed chemical strike was carried out in Syria's Douma, a rebel-controlled town in Eastern Ghouta, claiming the lives of over 70 civilians, including children. Amid the speculation that the chemical was used in the attack, the OPCW Fact-Finding Mission (FFM) which was set up in 2014 with an on-going mandate “to establish facts surrounding allegations of the use of toxic chemicals, reportedly chlorine, for hostile purposes in the Syrian Arab Republic”, initiated the investigation to ensure whether the chemical was used or not. On 6 July 2018, OPCW issued an interim report on the investigation regarding the allegations of chemical weapons use in Douma in April 2018. The White Helmets, a voluntary aide group, pinned the blame for the assault, which claimed more than 70 civilian lives, on the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime. However, the regime has rejected the claim, calling it a "fabrication" by Jaish al-Islam, the Islamist group controlling the area. Russia, which has backed Assad throughout the seven-year-long civil war, rejected the claim too. The FFM has also previously determined that the use of chlorine, sulfur mustard, and sarin as chemical weapons took place in other incidents in Syria.

Syria: OPCW confirms chlorine used in Douma's chemical attack

US-backed Syrian force attacks final IS enclave

Hareth Najem fled Islamic State's last enclave in eastern Syria wounded and alone. The Iraqi orphan's family had died two years earlier in air strikes across the border in al-Qaim region.

"I had two brothers and a sister. They all died, and then I was by myself," Hareth told Reuters, tears filling his eyes. "My little sister, I loved her a lot. I used to take her with me to the market."

Lying in a cattle truck beside another injured boy at a desert transit point for US-backed forces, he huddled under a blanket. His face was covered in dirt and the side of his head wrapped with bandages covering wounds incurred days earlier.

Hareth was 11 years old when Islamic State (IS) carved out its "caliphate" in Iraq and Syria, killing thousands of civilians and attracting an array of enemies that have fought from the air and on the ground to uproot the jihadists.

Now 16, he was among the children swept up this week in the civilian evacuation of Baghouz, the last shred of land under the jihadists' control where they are on the brink of defeat at the hands of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

Some of the children are foreigners whose parents brought them to be raised under IS rule, or child fighters conscripted into what the group dubbed "cubs of the caliphate". Others, including members of the Yazidi minority, were enslaved by the jihadists.

Many have seen their parents die in the fighting or be detained by rival forces. As IS faces territorial defeat, their fate remains uncertain. The SDF investigates all men and teenage boys arriving from Baghouz to determine possible IS links.

'THESE KIDS HAVE NOBODY'

Around 20 children crossed the frontline on their own this week, including Iraqis, Syrians, Turks and Indonesians, said SDF commander Adnan Afrin. The fathers of some were identified as IS fighters and arrested immediately.

"These kids have nobody. They need somebody to take care of them, to provide mental health support," said Afrin, adding that some had gone hungry for a long time. The SDF plans to hand over the children to aid groups, he said.

Hareth said his family had been running a market stall when IS overran their town and they had no links to the group.

After his family was killed in an aerial bombardment, he crossed into Syria with other Iraqis who feared Shi'ite Muslim militias advancing against IS would take revenge on Sunnis - a fear that other Iraqis have cited as their reason for entering IS-held Syria.

Hareth said he tried to avoid the jihadists and denies attending their schools or receiving military training. Their morality police would sometimes arrest and whip him.

"They gave speeches at the mosques, jihad and whatnot," he said. "I was scared of them. My whole family died because of them."

When he reached Baghouz, he worked in a field in return for a room to sleep in. He tried saving enough money to go home but said the militants stopped him.

Hareth was wounded last week when a shell fell near where he was standing along the Euphrates River, injuring his ear, hand and stomach. He wants to get medical care and return to relatives still in Iraq.

"I want to go look for them ... When I get better and my body recovers, when I can walk," he said. "I want to go back, to become a young man again, to build a future again."

Hareth Najem fled Islamic State's last enclave in eastern Syria wounded and alone. The Iraqi orphan's family had died two years earlier in air strikes across the border in al-Qaim region.

Hareth Najem fled Islamic State's last enclave in eastern Syria wounded and alone. The Iraqi orphan's family had died two years earlier in air strikes across the border in al-Qaim region. "I had two brothers and a sister. They all died, and then I was by myself," Hareth told Reuters, tears filling his eyes. "My little sister, I loved her a lot. I used to take her with me to the market." Lying in a cattle truck beside another injured boy at a desert transit point for US-backed forces, he huddled under a blanket. His face was covered in dirt and the side of his head wrapped with bandages covering wounds incurred days earlier. Hareth was 11 years old when Islamic State (IS) carved out its "caliphate" in Iraq and Syria, killing thousands of civilians and attracting an array of enemies that have fought from the air and on the ground to uproot the jihadists. Now 16, he was among the children swept up this week in the civilian evacuation of Baghouz, the last shred of land under the jihadists' control where they are on the brink of defeat at the hands of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Some of the children are foreigners whose parents brought them to be raised under IS rule, or child fighters conscripted into what the group dubbed "cubs of the caliphate". Others, including members of the Yazidi minority, were enslaved by the jihadists. Many have seen their parents die in the fighting or be detained by rival forces. As IS faces territorial defeat, their fate remains uncertain. The SDF investigates all men and teenage boys arriving from Baghouz to determine possible IS links. 'THESE KIDS HAVE NOBODY' Around 20 children crossed the frontline on their own this week, including Iraqis, Syrians, Turks and Indonesians, said SDF commander Adnan Afrin. The fathers of some were identified as IS fighters and arrested immediately. "These kids have nobody. They need somebody to take care of them, to provide mental health support," said Afrin, adding that some had gone hungry for a long time. The SDF plans to hand over the children to aid groups, he said. Hareth said his family had been running a market stall when IS overran their town and they had no links to the group. After his family was killed in an aerial bombardment, he crossed into Syria with other Iraqis who feared Shi'ite Muslim militias advancing against IS would take revenge on Sunnis - a fear that other Iraqis have cited as their reason for entering IS-held Syria. Hareth said he tried to avoid the jihadists and denies attending their schools or receiving military training. Their morality police would sometimes arrest and whip him. "They gave speeches at the mosques, jihad and whatnot," he said. "I was scared of them. My whole family died because of them." When he reached Baghouz, he worked in a field in return for a room to sleep in. He tried saving enough money to go home but said the militants stopped him. Hareth was wounded last week when a shell fell near where he was standing along the Euphrates River, injuring his ear, hand and stomach. He wants to get medical care and return to relatives still in Iraq. "I want to go look for them ... When I get better and my body recovers, when I can walk," he said. "I want to go back, to become a young man again, to build a future again."

Wounded and alone, children emerge from last Islamic State enclave

Kurdish-led forces launched a final assault Friday on the last pocket held by the<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/mass-grave-found-in-last-islamic-state-bastion-syrian-democratic-forces-200317"> Islamic State group </a>in eastern Syria, their spokesman said.

The "operation to clear the last remaining pocket of ISIS has just started", Mustefa Bali, the spokesman of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, said in a statement using an acronym for the jihadist group.

The US-led forces&nbsp;on Friday extracted more people from the ruins of the Islamic State group's "caliphate" and geared up for a final assault against jihadists hunkered down for a desperate last stand.

Diehard IS fighters and their families remained holed up in the last pocket, despite US President Donald Trump's claims that 100 per cent of the territory was retaken.

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) evacuated six truckloads of people on Friday from Baghouz, a hamlet by the Euphrates where the "caliphate" looks set to peter out.

Kurdish-led forces launched a final assault Friday on the last pocket held by the Islamic State group in eastern Syria, their spokesman said. The "operation to clear the last remaining pocket of ISIS has just started", Mustefa Bali, the spokesman of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, said in a statement using an acronym for the jihadist group.

Kurdish-led forces launched a final assault Friday on the last pocket held by the Islamic State group in eastern Syria, their spokesman said. The "operation to clear the last remaining pocket of ISIS has just started", Mustefa Bali, the spokesman of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, said in a statement using an acronym for the jihadist group. The US-led forces on Friday extracted more people from the ruins of the Islamic State group's "caliphate" and geared up for a final assault against jihadists hunkered down for a desperate last stand. Diehard IS fighters and their families remained holed up in the last pocket, despite US President Donald Trump's claims that 100 per cent of the territory was retaken. The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) evacuated six truckloads of people on Friday from Baghouz, a hamlet by the Euphrates where the "caliphate" looks set to peter out.

Assault on last IS pocket in Syria has started: Syrian Democratic Forces

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

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