Syria’s SDF denies report of Islamic State’s final defeat

The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) denied a report on Thursday that all of final enclave of Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS) has been captured. The comments came after a Kurdish media outlet said the jihadist group had been finally defeated there, Reuters said. “Combing continues in the Baghouz camp and there is no truth [to the report] about the complete liberation of the village,” an SDF official said, quoting the commanders of the offensive. Earlier, Hawar News reported the SDF had “liberated all of Baghouz” from the IS mercenaries and with that the campaign had “ended with the defeat of [IS] and the victory of the SDF.” IS’ final defeat at Baghouz will end its territorial rule that once spanned a third of Iraq and Syria.