Islamic State 'caliphate' defeated, yet threat persists


  • World
  • Saturday, 23 Mar 2019

Mazloum Kobani, Syrian Democratic Forces' (SDF) commander in chief, talks as he announces the destruction of Islamic State's control of land in eastern Syria, at al-Omar oil field in Deir Al Zor, Syria March 23, 2019.

DEIR AL-ZOR PROVINCE, Syria (Reuters) - U.S.-backed forces proclaimed the capture of Islamic State's last territory in Syria on Saturday, eliminating its rule over a self-proclaimed "caliphate", but the jihadists remain a threat from sleeper cells around the world.

Originally an offshoot of al Qaeda, IS took large swathes of Iraq and Syria from 2014, imposing a reign of terror with public beheadings and attacks by supporters abroad - but it was eventually beaten back to the village of Baghouz.

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