The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) battled to seize control of Baghouz today. The terror group is on the brink of defeat, with the village in eastern Syria its last patch of land. The SDF had said it expected a “decisive battle” but a spokesman for the US-led international coalition supporting them later added the pace of their advance had slowed.
Colonel Sean Ryan said: “ISIS fighters have been using suicide vests and car bombs to slow down the SDF offensive and hide from Coalition strikes.
“They still hold civilians and are lacing the tunnels with improvised explosive devices as well.”
The jihadists in Baghouz are thought to be the “most hardened” militants.
The SDF has previously estimated that several hundred extremists are still in the village near the Iraqi border.
On Thursday, the SDF commander-in-chief said that his force would declare victory within a week.
He was later contradicted by US President Donald Trump, who said the SDF had retaken all of the territory once held by ISIS.
The US currently has about 2,000 troops based in Syria to support the SDF against the terror group.
In December, Mr Trump said they would be withdrawn but last month the White House said 400 would stay.
Capturing Baghouz will be a huge milestone in the four-year battle to wipe out ISIS, which controlled around one third of Syria and Iraq in 2014.
At the height of its reign of terror, thousands of foreigners travelled to live under its rule.
Since then, the extremist group has been in retreat and it suffered major defeats in 2017 losing its twin capitals of Mosul and Raqqa.
However, the terror group is expected to remain a threat despite its crumbling caliphate.