Syria: SDF declares Baghuz secure March 23 /update 4

Event

A spokesman for the US-back Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announced on Saturday, March 23, that Baghuz (Deir Al-Zor province) has been liberated from the Islamic State (IS). In a statement released on social media, the SDF declared the “total elimination” of the IS caliphate and “100 percent territorial defeat” of the group. Clearance operations are expected to continue in the near term and further fighting between militants and SDF fighters are possible in the area.

Context

IS has lost most of the territory it once controlled in Iraq and Syria after suffering major military defeats following its 2014 offensive. The military victory for SDF forces over IS militants in Baghuz marks the jihadist group's effective territorial defeat in eastern Syria, though IS retains control over some desert areas west of the Euphrates River.

The SDF is a US-backed umbrella group of militias, led by the primarily Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), and a belligerent in the Syrian Civil War. The SDF has ousted IS from several areas formerly under the jihadist group's control, notably including Raqqa, Al-Tabqah, and Manbij.

Advice

Due to extremely poor security conditions, Western governments generally advise against all travel to Syria, with some banning travel to the country. Professional security advice and support should be sought prior to any travel to Syria.