Fight to retake the last IS enclave of Baghouz continues

Fighting in the Syrian village of Baghouz, the last IS-held pocket in the country, continued into the early hours of Tuesday. US-backed forces battling the Islamic State group admitted they were facing "difficulties" defeating the extremists, as they were being slowed down by the mines, tunnels and concerns over harming women and children among the militants.

Baghouz:US-backed fighters continued their battle on Tuesday to retake the Syrian village of Baghouz, the last IS-held pocket. Earlier, the US-backed forces fighting the Islamic State group had admitted that they were facing difficulties defeating the extremists.

Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) commander Kino Gabriel said the Kurdish-led SDF fighters were facing difficulties and were being slowed down as the IS militants were desperately fighting to hang on to the last tiny piece of land in eastern Syria, deploying snipers and guided missiles and using dug-out tunnels for surprise attacks. The SDF were also concerned over harming women and children among the militants.

Speaking to reporters outside Baghouz on Sunday, Gabriel expressed hope that the operation against IS might end in the next few days.

Retaking the piece of land would be a milestone in the devastating four-year campaign to end IS' self-proclaimed "Caliphate" that once straddled a vast territory across both Syria and Iraq.