US Envoy Says Daesh Down to Few Hundred Fighters Amid Fight in Baghouz

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in February began a final assault to clear out the village of Baghuz, which, as they say, is the last Daesh* stronghold in Syria. Recently, they transferred some 280 captured terrorists to Iraqi security agencies.

US Special Representative for Syria James Franklin Jeffrey said that the US is appealing to countries to take back Daesh foreign fighters and their families captured by the US-backed SDF in Syria, to share the burden of prosecution and re-education.

READ MORE: US Commanders Once Again Warn Syria, Iraq at Risk of Daesh Resurgence

Jeffrey added that the US believes there are 15,000-20,000 Daesh adherents in Syria and Iraq, with many of them in sleeper cells.

According to him, Daesh is down to a few hundred fighters and less than a square kilometre of land.

"We are just about finished with the campaign along the Euphrates to defeat the last territorial holdings of the Caliphate. They're down to a few hundred fighters and less than a square kilometre of land," Jeffrey said.

Recently, the SDF has been carrying out operations against Daesh terrorists in Syria, with support from the US-led coalition.

The US-led coalition, which consists of over 70 countries, is conducting military operations against Daesh in Syria and Iraq. The coalition's operations in Syria are not authorised by the Syrian government nor the UN Security Council (UNSC).

*Daesh (also known as ISIS/ISIL/IS) is a terrorist group banned in Russia