Battles Continue To Rage For The Last Islamic State Enclave In Syria

Reuters: Battle rages for last Islamic State Syria enclave

BAGHOUZ, Syria (Reuters) - Falling bombs raised smoke over Islamic State’s last enclave in east Syria on Sunday, obscuring the huddle of vehicles and makeshift shelters to which the group’s self-declared “caliphate” has been reduced.

Air strikes and artillery began hitting the area and smoke billowed overhead late in the afternoon as U.S.-backed forces resumed their weeks-long attack, a Reuters reporter said.

After dark, a Kurdish TV channel broadcast live footage showing fires raging and the swift glow of rockets pounding into the enclave accompanied by the sound of intense gunfire.

During an earlier lull in fighting, tiny figures of people still inside were clearly visible walking among hundreds of trucks, cars and minibuses clustered around a few concrete buildings by the bank of the Euphrates.

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Update #1: Suicide bombers kill ISIS followers leaving Baghouz as final holdouts battle on (The National)
Update #2: SDF: Estimated 5,000 ISIS fighters and their families remain in Baghouz (RUDAW)

WNU Editor: No one said it was going to be easy .... U.S.-Backed Forces Admit to Facing Difficulties Defeating IS in Syria (Time/AP). And in this small ISIS enclave there are still thousands who remain .... Syria force says 'thousands' still inside last IS pocket (AFP).

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