Pressure builds to get civilians out of last IS-held enclave in Syria

SUMMARY

The Islamic State group has been reduced from its self-proclaimed caliphate that once spread across much of Syria and Iraq at its height in 2014 to a speck of land on the countries' shared border. In that tiny pocket on the banks of the river, the militants are hiding among civilians in the shadow of a small hill, encircled by forces waiting to declare the territorial defeat of the extremist group. Hundreds of Islamic State militants surrounded in a tiny area in eastern Syria are refusing to surrender and are trying to negotiate an exit, Syrian activists and a person close to the negotiations said.

By APFeb 22, 2019 2:02:49 PM IST (Published)

US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighters stand outside a building used as a temporary base near the last land still held by Islamic State militants in Baghouz, Syria. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighters enter a building used as a temporary base near the last land still held by Islamic State militants in Baghouz. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

A US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighter talks on his phone inside a building used as a temporary base near the last land still held by Islamic State militants in Baghouz. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

Destroyed homes are framed by damaged windows in a building taken by US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) near the last land still held by Islamic State militants in Baghouz. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

A US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighter sits inside a building used as a temporary base near the last land still held by Islamic State militants in Baghouz, Syria. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

A US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighter stands atop a building in Baghouz. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

This photo released by the Syrian Civil Defense group known as the White Helmets, shows Syrian White Helmet civil defence workers carrying an injured man who was wounded by a shell from Syrian forces innorthern Syria. (Syrian Civil Defense White Helmets via AP)

This photo released by the Syrian Civil Defense group White Helmets shows Syrian White Helmet civil defence workers extinguishing a fire at a bakery after being hit by a shell from Syrian forces. (Syrian Civil Defense White Helmets via AP)