Islamic State (IS) fighters -- surrounded during the key battle for Manbij, Syria last week -- agreed to surrender their weapons to U.S.-backed Syrian rebels in return for safe passage out of the embattled city, a senior defense official said today (August 16, 2016). It was the first agreement of its kind with the terror group, the USA Today website reports.
The exhausted and demoralized Islamic militants were using civilians as human shields, which is why the U.S.-backed fighters agreed to let them flee Manbij after three months of intense fighting and near constant aerial bombardment by the U.S.-led coalition.
The U.S. official -- who was not authorized to discuss battle details -- said the Islamic State fighters surrendered after being surrounded by the Syrian Democratic Forces, fighters recruited and trained by the U.S.-led coalition.
The official added that the agreement to let the Islamic State militants escape likely saved hundreds of civilians held by the fanatical fighters.
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