Reacting to the White House's official statement, the Syrian envoy to the UN called the Pentagon's announcement of victory over Daesh a 'bluff'.
The envoy's response comes shortly after a Sputnik source in the Russian Foreign Ministry said that the US announcement about the complete elimination of Daesh is not very convincing.
READ MORE: Trump: 400 US Troops to Remain in Syria With 200 Stationed 'Closer to Israel'
In addition, later in the day, Reuters reported, citing the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) as saying that "heavy fighting" is still ongoing at Baghuz in Eastern Syria "to finish off whatever remains" of Daesh.
Heavy fighting continues around mount #Baghouz right now to finish off whatever remains of ISIS. pic.twitter.com/l6eHLcWM5h
— Mustafa Bali (@mustefabali) 22 марта 2019 г.
This comes after earlier in the day White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders declared that the entire territory of Syria has been "100 per cent eliminated" from Daesh* terrorists. She also noted that President Donald Trump was briefed on the issue by US Acting Defence Secretary Patrick Shanahan while the American leader was on his way to Florida on Air Force One.
The Syrian village of Baghouz was considered the last Daesh stronghold in the Arab Republic where the Kurdish-led SDF had been repeatedly conducting operations and the US-led coalition conducting bombings.
READ MORE: Ten Civilians Killed in US-led Coalition Airstrike on Syria's Baghuz — Reports
*Daesh, also known as ISIS, ISIL, Islamic State is a terrorist group banned in Russia
