US-backed Syrian forces announce victory over IS in Syria -

Damascus: The US-backed forces have claimed victory over the IS in Syria. The US-backed rebels announced that Baghouz city, known as the last IS base in Syria, has been captured. US President Donald Trump had recently made a statement that IS has been defeated in Syria. This announcement by the Syrian rebel organisations is significant against this background.

US supported Kurdish rebel organisation spokesman Mustafa Bali informed about the victory over IS saying, “Baghouz has been liberated, and we have been able to emerge victorious against the IS.” Since the last few weeks, the United States and the Syrian rebels had initiated attacks on the IS locations in Baghouz. It is considered one of the crucial steps in the US military campaign, to free Syria from IS.

The US fighter jets had taken the initiative in action against the IS. The Syrian rebels informed that the US fighter jets launched attacks entering the most dangerous airspace in Syria. It is also claimed that nearly 20,000 Syrian people were displaced because of the US conflict against the IS.

A few months ago, the Iraqi government claimed to have finished the IS from that country. The defeat of the IS in Syria, following that, becomes important. There was a conflict at the international level against the IS in Iraq and Syria, since 2014. The victory in Syria seems to be the decisive phase of the campaign.

However, even if the IS has been finished in Syria and Iraq, the influence of IS is seen to be rising in other parts of the world.