“Caliphate” eliminated: U.S. ally SDF declares Islamic state defeated

Islamic State has been defeated at its final shred of territory of Baghouz in Syria, the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said on Saturday (March 23), announcing the end of its self-declared “caliphate” that once spanned a third of Iraq and Syria.

The SDF declared the “total elimination of (the) so-called caliphate”, Mustafa Bali, head of the SDF media office, wrote on Twitter. “Baghouz has been liberated. The military victory against Daesh has been accomplished,” he wrote.

Footage from Ronahi TV on Saturday showed members gathered next to a large SDF flag on a building’s rooftop as an officer made a statement to the media.