The SDF “declare total elimination of so-called caliphate and 100% territorial defeat of ISIS,” Mustafa Bali, head of the force’s press office, announced on Twitter Saturday morning.
“On this unique day, we commemorate thousands of martyrs whose efforts made the victory possible,” Bali added.
Some 11,000 fighters of the SDF, a Kurdish-led umbrella force of Kurds, Arabs, and Christians of northern Syria, died in the war against ISIS. In Iraq, more than 1,800 Peshmerga were killed battling the group. The Iraqi army has not released their official figures casualties, but it is believed to be in the thousands.
The bright yellow flag of the SDF billowed in the wind on Saturday over Baghouz, the eastern Syrian village where the final battle against ISIS happened. The force held a brief press conference in the village.
“We end the Jazeera Storm Operation here. We congratulate this victory as a glad tiding to Kurds, Arabs, Assyrians, and all the people of the world,” said Chiya Firat, referring to the SDF’s operation against ISIS in eastern Deir ez-Zor. Firat commanded the operation.
“We finished Daesh on the ground. We give this victory as a gift to the whole world and wish the best for everyone,” he said.
Jazeera Storm Operation Commander Chiya Firat speaks at a press conference in Baghouz on March 23, 2019. Photo: screengrab/AFP video
In an earlier tweet that was subsequently deleted, Bali said that Baghouz village had been “fully liberated, SDF made victory against ISIS.”
Taking advantage of Syria’s civil conflict and sectarian divisions in Iraq, the so-called Islamic State swept across large parts of both countries in 2014, declaring a caliphate that imposed a brutal rule over millions.
The first military defeat of the group came in the Kurdish city of Kobane, northern Syria in 2015. That began a gradual liberation of territory from the militants. Iraq declared military victory over ISIS in 2017.
Brett McGurk, the former US representative to the global coalition against ISIS, sent his congratulations to the SDF for their “remarkable [and] historic achievement.”
Though ISIS no longer controls any significant piece of territory in Iraq or Syria, they are estimated to still have thousands of fighters on both sides of the border and combatting the group’s ideology remains a monumental task.
ISIS “fed on perceptions of unfairness in Sunni communities. Its ideology remains a potent threat to stability unless the wellsprings of its support are addressed,” warned David Miliband, president of the International Rescue Committee on Friday.
Coalition 'unwavering commitment'
The SDF held ceremony on Saturday afternoon to mark the victory, attended by US Ambassador William Roebuck and Syrian Democratic Council (SDC) co-chair Ilham Ahmed.
In a statement on behalf of the US government, Roebuck offered his congratulations.
“This critical milestone in the fight against ISIS delivers a crushing, strategic blow and underscores the unwavering commitment of our local partners and the global coalition to defeat ISIS,” he said, reading a statement prepared by US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
US Ambassador William Roebuck (C) addresses an SDF ceremony marking victory of ISIS in eastern Syria, March 23, 2019. Photo: Rudaw TV
“We could not have achieved any of this without the unwavering commitment and unity of our coalition and the tremendous sacrifice of our Syrian partners on the ground who have lost thousands of lives, taking back their homeland and helping to protect coalition homelands at the same time.”
“We honor the sacrifices and the valor of the Syrian Democratic Forces in achieving this victory and express condolences for the many lives lost in the campaign,” Roebuck added.
In her own statement at the ceremony, SDC co-chair Ahmed congratulated the Syrian people, but warned the fight to eliminate ISIS sleeper cells and the group’s ideology must continue.
SDF spokesperson Kino Gabriel read a number of congratulatory statements sent to the SDF, including a message from British Army General Nick Carter, whose government supports the international coalition.
“I offer my deep and most sincere condolences to the families of the many who have fallen in the important and noble endeavor,” Carter said his message.
“We also have great admiration for the humanity and care that your forces have shown during this difficult and final battle to try to avoid civilian casualties and to receive those fleeing Baghouz.”
Further messages of congratulations have appeared though Saturday, including two tweets by French President Emmanuel Macron.
“Syrian democratic forces announced that the last bastion of Daesh had fallen. I pay tribute to our partners and the armies of the international coalition, of which France is a part. They fought the terrorists with determination, for our security,” Macron said, using an Arabic acronym for ISIS.
“We do not forget the victims of Daesh. The stage reached today is immense: a major danger for our country is eliminated. But the threat remains and the fight against terrorist groups must continue.”
Updated at 6:31 pm
