14 civilians killed in US-led coalition strikes in eastern Syria
At least 14 civilians were killed yesterday in US-led coalition air strikes on the Islamic State group's last holdout in eastern Syria, a Britain-based monitor said. "Fourteen civilians, including five children under 18 years, were killed in the coalition air raids on the villages of Hajin, Sousa, and Al-Shaafa in eastern Deir Ezzor province," Syrian Observatory for Human Rights Head, Rami Abdel Rahman said.
The strike intensified after Jihadists attacked coalition base camp
Estimating the number of deaths, Rahman said, "At least nine IS jihadists were killed in the raids." Strikes on the area intensified following an attempted jihadist attack on a coalition base in the nearby village of Al-Bahra. IS overran large swathes of Syria and Iraq in 2014, proclaiming a "caliphate" there but later lost most of it to various offensives in both countries.
Jihadists lost control over Badia desert and Deir Ezzor
In Syria, the jihadist-group has seen its presence reduced to parts of the vast Badia desert and a pocket in Deir Ezzor. A Kurdish-Arab alliance backed by the coalition launched an offensive in September to wrest the Deir Ezzor pocket from IS. But on Wednesday, the Syrian Democratic Forces suspended its fight against the jihadists after Turkish forces fired on the group's positions.
Over 360,000 people killed since Syria war erupted in 2011
The coalition estimates that 2,000 IS fighters remain in the Hajin pocket. A total of more than 360,000 people have been killed since Syria's war erupted in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government protests.
