SDF: IS Using Suicide Attacks, Civilians to Slow Advance on Baghuz

VOA News ^ | March 04, 2019 9:20 PM | Zana Omer & Sirwan Kajjo

[Texas Fossil]

BAGHUZ, SYRIA/WASHINGTON — 

In eastern Syria, U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) say Islamic State is trying to slow the attack on the terror group's last scrap of territory in the town of Baghuz by using snipers, suicide bombers and civilians as human shields.

A VOA cameraman traveling with Kurdish fighters spoke to several about what appears to be the final days of the battle.

SDF officials said Monday the vast majority of civilians have already left Baghuz, but a small number are still trapped in the town by IS.

"We don't have an estimate of how many civilians are still inside Baghuz," Lilwa Abdullah, an SDF spokeswoman, told VOA.

Other SDF officials said that IS fighters have increased their counterattacks on SDF fighters, using suicide bombers, explosive-laden vehicles and tunnels.

"This is something that [IS] have done in previous battles, too," Mervan Rojava, an SDF media officer, said. "But this time it is challenging for them because they have nowhere else to go."

He told VOA that the militant group now only controls less than 2 square kilometers inside Baghuz.

"All the tunnels they have dug for a moment like this aren't really useful because they control a very small patch of territory. But they are taking advantage of sending a large number of suicide bombers toward us," Rojava said.

WATCH: IS Using Human Shields to Slow SDF Advance -see at link-

Kurdish military officials believe there are some families of IS fighters who are refusing to leave the town.

IS has been increasingly using snipers to slow down the attack on the terror group. One SDF fighter was wounded by an IS sniper who was hiding behind a child, the SDF reported on Monday.

"Our comrades were closing in on a building when one of [IS's] snipers targeted one of our comrades in the vehicle," an SDF fighter, who witnessed the incident and did not want to be identified for security reasons, told VOA.

Another SDF fighter said that U.S.-led coalition warplanes could not hit IS targets inside Baghuz because of the presence of women and children.

"They are hiding among those women and children. How can warplanes target them? Civilians would die if they targeted [IS]," the SDF fighter, who also didn't want to be identified, told VOA.

So far in the month of March, at least 164 IS fighters have been killed, SDF spokesman Mustafa Bali told local radio station Arta FM on Monday.

Four SDF fighters were killed in recent clashes with IS, Bali said.

Nisan Ahmado contributed to this report.

[Texas Fossil]

These animals called ISIS must be eliminated.

Video at link.

[Texas Fossil]

Syria Ping

[Lurker]

FAE the entire town and be done with it.

L

[Texas Fossil]

2 possible reasons not to:

Leadership targets that could have large scale value to capture.

Captured SDF (some already were rescued) or important civilians captives that are important to protect.

At some point, it makes sense to as they say, Nuke em from Orbit.

[Lurker]

“Leadership targets that could have large scale value to capture.“

Ah, no. Kill them on the spot. Most especially the leaders. Then hang their heads on spikes. Then kill their pet goats and hang their heads on spikes right next to them.

Any leadership still there ceased to have any sort of strategic value long ago. Now they’re just barbarian savages chopping the heads off of 12 year old girls for kicks. They’re the SS of the islamists and should be treated as such.

Any survivors should face drum head Courts Martial and be summarily shot as terrorists under the Geneva Conventions.

L

[BeauBo]

Apparently they had a couple of hard nights of firefights, and then a pause where a bunch more women and children came out, as well as about 150 wounded ISIS fighters. They had put up a bunch of tents in town for all their new arrivals, and those tents came under sustained direct small arms fire - so anyone in there is likely dead or gone.

I saw another report that they had a cluster of 10-12 buildings by the river connected by tunnels, which might be their last stand or HQ.

In any event, their numbers and territory keep dropping. It should get swept clean soon.

I don’t normally dance on graves, but I believe this will qualify for an indulgence.

[caww]

Have been aware of the advance on Baghuz.....not surprised ISIS using human shields as they have done so in the past when they’re loosing their ground......but it does slow down the advance unfortunately or this would have been a done deal already.

[Texas Fossil]

I think the recent reports of down to 500 fighters was understatement. But I’ve also seen recent source saying 1,500, which I concluded were over stated. One of those sources which on the face seemed credible, is silent now. Smile.

There was a lot of propaganda noise about 2 weeks ago. Not so much now.

[Texas Fossil]

Yes.

#AfrinNotAlone @AfrinsNotAlone 56m56 minutes ago

https://twitter.com/AfrinsNotAlone/status/1102897258561982464

Western women who join the Islamic State aren’t victims who’ve been groomed or seduced by men. They’re committed jihadis in their own right.

[BeauBo]

This was interesting (https://twitter.com/DonKlericuzio/status/1102873311770497024):

“Chats reveals there have been more than 2500 deaths of ISIS hardened fighters by coalition Airstrikes and bombings in the last three days. 2:07 AM - 5 Mar 2019”

[gandalftb]

Up to date report here:

https://syriadirect.org/news/in-last-stand-at-baghouz-is-uses-civilians-car-bombs-and-booby-traps-to-slow-on-off-sdf-offensive/#.XH6tbwlYXmY.twitter

There are less than 150 ISIS fighters left. The pocket is about half the size of 2 days ago. The assault is pausing to shape the battlefield and allow drones to look for defensive positions (thermal detection).

The remaining ISIS are out of water and food and ammo, the pause will weaken and degrade them.

No civilians left, it is a free fire zone, look for airstrikes and artillery.

[tet68]

No civilians left, it is a free fire zone...

FAE the rats.

[Texas Fossil]

I’ve not seen that source before, but I posted about another early that looked credible that is not around now. So I’m skeptical about numbers that large. If it were true, I suspect I’d have been told.

[Texas Fossil]

More surrendered yesterday than that number. Lots of women, children and some ISIS fighters came out.

There is a lot of disinformation on Twitter about the battle and what is actually happening. I got suckered on a new news source that looked credible early in this, they aren’t around now.

I only believe sources that I know. There are a lot of issues related to handling the surrendered ISIS, their females and children. Far too many because of sympathy in that region. Will take some special effort to logically handle them long term.

Over time ANF and ANHA have been the most accurate reporting. ANF is better understood in English. Both are cautious about overstating.

Some writers in the region for large regional news outlets have done good work. Others are pure propaganda.

Al Monitor and a couple of the Israeli papers have been very good at times. Depending upon the writers.

[Texas Fossil]

Mutlu Civiroglu @mutludc 4h4 hours ago

https://twitter.com/mutludc/status/1103070294531547136

SDF commander Adnan Afrini said in last 2 days some 6500 ISIS fighters & families from #Baghouz surrendered. He and all other commanders are all puzzled that still this many people come from small town. Operation paused for 2 days because of this situation #TwitterKurds #Syria

—

I know this source, totally credible.

[gandalftb]

No more than 600 fighters + about 1,000 family members came out + about 100 Yazidi slaves came out in the last 48 hours. I’ve seen the videos, no trucks used.

Again, there are about 250 dead end ISIS that will make the last stand. Al-Baghdadi made it to Iraq.

[gandalftb]

Pretty credible report here:

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/03/hundreds-isil-fighters-surrender-syria-baghouz-sdf-190306160315079.html

[Texas Fossil]

Aljazeera is wrong.

[Texas Fossil]

From this morning:

#AfrinNotAlone‏ @AfrinsNotAlone 56m56 minutes ago

https://twitter.com/AfrinsNotAlone/status/1102897258561982464

Western women who join the Islamic State aren’t victims who've been groomed or seduced by men. They’re committed jihadis in their own right.

--

Mutlu Civiroglu @mutludc 3h3 hours ago

https://twitter.com/mutludc/status/1103073645071659008

Among the ISIS fighters & wives that surrendered today, I saw a Finnish woman & 4 children, 2 French women, 1 Norwegian, 2 Dutch of Surinam origin, Indonesian, Filipino, Bosnian, Chechen, Afghani, Turkish, several Russian citizens & lots of Iraqis #Baghouz #TwitterKurds #Syria

--

Mutlu Civiroglu @mutludc 3h3 hours ago

https://twitter.com/mutludc/status/1103083323423969281

Most of the ISIS fighters & wives I talked to didn’t have any regret and seemed pretty relaxed. Some women even defended enslaving #Yezidis saying it was allowed by the religion. Many see surrendering as a test of god and they are determined to continue their struggle #Baghouz

--

Mutlu Civiroglu @mutludc 3h3 hours ago

https://twitter.com/mutludc/status/1103087721801748480

This Finnish woman came to Syria via Turkey 4 years ago. She lived in Manbij, Bab, Raqqa etc. She married twice. Her daughter is 13 now & she’s also married. Mother says they want to go to Finland because life is easier there & they want to live as Moslems there #Baghouz #SDF

--

Cahida Dersim‏ @dersi4m

https://twitter.com/dersi4m/status/1103028096033267712

Dilsher Hasakah, one of the commanders of the military campaign #JazeeraStorm, said that in the last two days nearly 6,000 IS members and their families have surrendered themselves to #SDF fighters in Baghouz (ANHA) #TwitterKurds

--

Cahida Dersim‏ @dersi4m 6h6 hours ago

https://twitter.com/dersi4m/status/1103029847851438080 Today, #SDF Special Forces managed to free five fighters of the Self Defence Forces from IS-captivity in Baghouz (ANHA) #TwitterKurds

--

Mutlu Civiroglu @mutludc 4h4 hours ago

https://twitter.com/mutludc/status/1103070294531547136

SDF commander Adnan Afrini said in last 2 days some 6500 ISIS fighters & families from #Baghouz surrendered. He and all other commanders are all puzzled that still this many people come from small town. Operation paused for 2 days because of this situation #TwitterKurds #Syria

--

Mutlu Civiroglu @mutludc 2h2 hours ago

https://twitter.com/mutludc/status/1103095571190038528

This is the closest point we were allowed to see the town of #Baghouz, last ISIS stronghold #TwitterKurds #SDF (great video)

--

Mutlu Civiroglu @mutludc 4h4 hours ago

https://twitter.com/mutludc/status/1103097773459718144 Meanwhile this is the ☕️ a colleague made on the bonfire Good night to all of you. It’s pretty late here. Unfortunately day time we have no internet access. #TwitterKurds

--

Mutlu Civiroglu @mutludc 5h5 hours ago

https://twitter.com/mutludc/status/1103221070960693249 ISIS families from #Baghouz surrendered to SDF

--

Mutlu Civiroglu @mutludc 2h2 hours ago

https://twitter.com/mutludc/status/1103272773701550080

Breaking- 7 #Yezidi children have been freed in #Baghouz

[Texas Fossil]

These are from the horses mouth, on the ground at site.

Mutlu Civiroglu @mutludc now2 minutes ago

https://twitter.com/mutludc/status/1103432401475260416

Something noticeable today was the aggressiveness of the women who defiantly argued with journalists, refusing to answer their questions and in some cases cursing them. Appears like remaining groups are more hardcore believers of ISIS ideology https://twitter.com/mutludc/status/1103083323423969281?s=21

—

Mutlu Civiroglu @mutludc 24m24 minutes ago

https://twitter.com/mutludc/status/1103428587846283265

Today number of evacuees from #Baghouz appeared to be less, but new convoy arrived after journalists left the site. #SDF sources say 18,500 people from surrendered since evacuation started & more than 45.000 in total since beginning of the operation in Hajin have surrendered

Video at link