‘Heavy fighting’ in Baghouz as Trump declares ISIS defeated
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – The crack of machine gun fire and the thud of airstrikes to the east of Baghouz, Syria belied a claim from US President Donald Trump in Florida that the Islamic State (ISIS) so-called caliphate was finished.
“So here is ISIS on election day. Here’s ISIS right now. If you look – so there’s ISIS. And that’s what we have right now, as of last night,” Trump told reporters on arrival in Palm Beach, Florida on Friday, showing maps of the region that indicated ISIS no longer controlled any territory.
White House spokesperson Sarah Sanders also said “the territorial caliphate has been eliminated in Syria.”
That claim does not reflect the reality on the ground. “Heavy fighting continues around mount Baghouz right now to finish off whatever remains of ISIS,” tweeted Mustafa Bali, head of the media office of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) who are battling ISIS.
Reporters on the ground also contradicted Trump’s claim.
“Another airstrikes [sic] now, tracers, heavy machine gun fire on eastern end of Baghouz. I guess not everyone heard the White House statement re 100 elimination of ISIS territory,” tweeted CNN’s Ben Wedeman.
He added that “hundreds” of militants were still fighting, according to the SDF.
The battle to defeat the militants in their last major holdout has played out over weeks because of the unexpected presence of tens of thousands of people – including many women and children – in the small area.
Friday morning, the SDF said they had engaged with ISIS militants in “several points” and the US-led international coalition conducted a number of airstrikes.
The SDF on Tuesday took control of the tent camp where the jihadists had been encamped, but a group of fighters remain along the river’s edge.
Bali has cautioned against premature claims of victory.