Fierce fighting to the last IS stronghold in Syria

In the planned conquest of the last IS-Bastion in the East of Syria has delivered a U.S.-supported Kurdish-Arab Alliance, according to activists, heavy fighting with the jihadists militia Islamic state (IS).

There had been on Sunday morning, "fierce clashes," said the Syrian Observatory for human rights, which obtains its information from a network of informants on the ground. Positions of the jihadists had been attacked from the air and with artillery.

"The battle continues", - said the head of the UK-based Observatory, Rami Abdel Rahman. The Syrian Democratic forces (SDF) had announced on Saturday the start of their "final battle" against the IS in Eastern Syria.

Still 600 IS fighters suspected

IS fighters control according to the SDF in the province of Deir Essor an approximately four square kilometer large area stretching from the village of Baghus up to the Iraqi border. There are still up to 600 IS thought to be fighters.

The Offensive to the expulsion of the jihadis from Deir Essor had already begun in September. The advance of the SDF-fighters was recently stopped because of the IS civilians, according to the Kurdish-Arab fighting Alliance as human shields, abused. The latter took advantage of a week-long break to escape.

last British hostage of the IS could still be alive

The last British hostage in the hands of the IS could, according to the government in London is still alive. The 2012 kidnapped photographer John Cantlie could be in violence of the IS.

The Minister of state for security, Ben Wallace said, to journalists, as reported by British media. Evidence provided Wallace according to the Reports, however, no.

pressure

As reported in the "Sunday Times", will Cantlie, as well as two other hostages of the terrorist militia as a means of pressure for negotiations to be misused. The newspaper cites statements by high-ranking Kurdish officials. The IS trying to make a Deal with the US-backed Kurdish-Arab armed forces, and calls for safe passage in return for the release of alleged hostages, the newspaper writes.

John Cantlie was first in July 2012, IS fighters have fallen into the hands, he managed to escape. In November of the same year, he was kidnapped again, this time together with the American journalist James Foley. Him IS murdered-fighters later in front of the camera - the first in a series of such Videos.

Last Video 2016

Cantlie, however, was seen in the following years, repeatedly in the Videos, in which he in the style of a news broadcast IS Propaganda read. The last of these Clips was filmed in the year of 2016 in the battle of Mosul. Cantlie saw in the Video, emaciated and exhausted.

Cantlies family wrote on your Twitter Account, you've followed the media reports that he was still alive. "Even if there is currently no confirmation, we hope and pray that it turns out to be true," said the Tweet. Cantlie is the last of the British IS hostage, whose fate is still unclear. (nag/AFP)

Created: 10.02.2019, 11:21 PM