U.S.-backed SDF to try to evacuate civilians from IS enclave
DEIR AL-ZOR, Syria (Reuters) - The U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) will try to evacuate the remaining civilians from Islamic State’s last enclave in eastern Syria on Friday, a necessary step before attacking or forcing surrender on the last jihadists inside.
Mustafa Bali, head of the SDF’s media office, told Reuters the SDF would try again on Friday to evacuate more than 3,000 civilians he estimated were still inside the enclave of Baghouz.
The SDF had expected to complete the evacuation on Thursday but no civilians left. “If we succeed in evacuating all the civilians, at any moment we will take the decision to storm Baghouz or force the terrorists to surrender,” he said.
Reporting by Rodi Said; Writing by Tom Perry; Editing by David Goodman
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