US-Backed Forces in "Final Battle" against IS; Attack IS to Oust It from Last Enclave in Syria

Fighters from the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have launched an assault to oust IS (Islamic State) from its last remaining enclave in Syria, the CNN website reports today (February 10, 2019).

At its peak, IS held large swaths of Iraq and Syria -- a "caliphate" about the size of Portugal.

Its territory has now shrunk to a tiny pocket in Syria's eastern Deir Ezzor province, with militants holed up in the village of Baghouz Al-Fawqani, near the Iraq border.

After pausing more than a week to allow tens of thousands of civilians to flee the town, the SDF yesterday renewed its push to wrest the last 1.5 square miles from the terrorists.