Islamic State (IS) fighters trapped in Syria are still putting up fierce resistance, using civilians as human shields, setting deadly booby traps, and hiding in underground tunnels, thus frustrating efforts by U.S.-backed Syrian fighters to deal a final blow to the terrorist caliphate, the Washington Examiner website reports today (October 17, 2018).
It has been six months since the start of "Operation Roundup," an offensive designed to liberate the last swath of territory held by the Islamic State in the Middle Euphrates River Valley, or MERV, near Syria's eastern border with Iraq.
"ISIS, however, remains a deadly adversary. The remaining fighters in the MERV are hardened combatants and have shown every indication of being willing to fight until the end," Army Col. Sean Ryan told Pentagon reporters.
The ruthless tactics of the remaining IS fighters have slowed the advance of the Syrian Democratic Forces, which must be careful to protect the civilian populations who are often held hostage in their homes and prevented by IS from leaving the battle zone.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment