'We expect it to be over soon' - US-backed SDF in Baghouz
"We expect it to be over soon," Mustafa Bali, the spokesperson for the SDF media office, tweeted on Saturday morning.
SDF’s been advancing on two fronts into Daesh-held territory since yesterday evening. Heavy clashes are taking place atm. 3 SDF fighters got wounded so far. No information on casualties of ISIS yet.
We expect it to be over soon.
— Mustafa Bali (@mustefabali) March 2, 2019
"SDF’s been advancing on two fronts into Daesh-held territory since yesterday evening. Heavy clashes are taking place atm [at the moment]. 3 SDF fighters got wounded so far. No information on casualties of ISIS yet," he added.
People speaking Kurdish apparently holding a mobile device with a map of the area explain that their comrades are advancing in a video released by the Peoples' Protection Units (YPG).
Al Baguoz
— Mustafa Bali (@mustefabali) March 2, 2019
Last night pic.twitter.com/JFOJ7qba84
Rudaw could not independently verify the video.
They added that "our friends" have come from Hasakah, an apparent reference to YPG reinforcing the SDF in Baghouz.
YPG also described overnight clashes as "heavy."
"SDF forces are advancing on 5 fronts," they wrote on Facebook. "They face an estimated 1000-1500 ISIS fighters and difficult terrain: suicide bombers, mines and a large tunnel network."
son dakika...
— YPJ ROJAVA (@DefenseUnitsYPJ) March 2, 2019
Kö?eye s?k??t?r?lan Dai? çeteleri son nefeslerini al?rken çetelere ait cephanelik imha edildi. QSD ve YPJ sava?ç?lar?nda da yaralanmalar var 3 sava?ç? hafif yaral? ve çetelere ait 6 nokta özgürle?tirildi. S?cak çat??ma halen devam etmektedir. #YPJ #Derezor pic.twitter.com/vt4uzCwA8f
Later on Saturday, Bali posted video from the outskirts of al-Baghouz town showing destroyed buildings and an SDF fighter firing an AK-47 from behind cover.
Heavy fighting continues at outskirts of #Baghouz at the moment. SDF made a remarkable progress since yesterday evening, recaptured many positions from ISIS.#SDFDefeatISIS pic.twitter.com/lt7pD8f4Yh
— Mustafa Bali (@mustefabali) March 2, 2019
The Women's Defense Units (YPJ), the female counterpart to the YPG, said ISIS fighters are the taking "their last breath" because they are "besieged."
"Their weapons depots have been targeted," added the YPJ. "Six positions ISIS had been using against the advancing forces have been reclaimed from the group."
The SDF restarted its operation in al-Baghouz on Friday night after a lull following US President Donald Trump's announcement of a full troop withdrawal from Syria in December and Turkish threats to commence an operation into northeast Syria, or Rojava.
Trump announced on February 22 that he would keep 400 US forces in Syria, but he did not specify a timetable for the withdrawal of the more than 2,000 forces already in Syria.
The coalition's Operation Roundup began on May 1, 2018, with the aim to clear ISIS from the Middle Euphrates River Valley — the group's last bastion east of the river.
This is a developing story...
