The US President declared the end of the so-called caliphate to be “in sight” after the liberation of the terror group’s de-facto capital.
It comes amid celebrations in Raqqa as Kurdish and Arab militias clear the city of the boobytraps set by ISIS following the complete annihilation of jihadi forces in the city.
President Trump said: “I am pleased to announce that the Syrian Democratic Forces, our partners in the fight against ISIS in Syria, have successfully recaptured Raqqa – the terrorist group’s self-proclaimed capital city.”
“With the liberation of ISIS’ capital and the vast majority of its territory, the end of the ISIS caliphate is in sight.”
There are still swathes of Iraq and Syria controlled by the jihadi network, as well as pockets of support in Egypt and Libya.
Meanwhile, affiliates are operating in Nigeria, Afghanistan and the Philippines and the threat of international terror remains heightened.
However, the liberation of Raqqa from the cruel caliphate has dealt a significant blow to ISIS as the group runs out of places to hide from the internationally supported campaign to wipe them off the planet.
President Trump added: “Together, with our allies and partners, we will support diplomatic negotiations that end the violence, allow refugees to return safely home, and yield a political transition that honours the will of the Syrian people.”
The director of the CIA Mike Pompeo warned earlier this week the world is still at risk from the terror group despite the loss of territory.
Comparing ISIS to Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), the still-operating terror cell behind the 9/11 attacks, he claimed jihadis were striving to once again hijack planes and cause a mass casualty incident.
“ISIS’ capability to conduct an external operation remains but I wouldn’t put them in a singular bucket.
“Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula has for a long time had this mission statement, which includes the taking down of a commercial airliner bound for a western country.
“Certainly, among those would be the United States.”
He added international terrorists “are intent upon using commercial aviation as their vector to present a threat to the West”.