West welcomes ‘milestone’ fall of IS bastion

West welcomes ‘milestone’ fall of IS bastion

Western governments greeted the fall of Islamic State's last bastion, but warned of remaining dangers.

US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces raise their flag on a building in the jihadists final bastion, celebrating the end of the Islamic State group’s brutal caliphate. (AFP pic)
PARIS:
Governments greeted the fall of Islamic State’s last bastion, marking the end of its self-declared “caliphate”, as a “milestone” Saturday, but warned of remaining dangers, as Syrian Kurds announced a “new phase” in the conflict.

France

President Emmanuel Macron said a source of potential terror attacks had been “eliminated”, but warned that “the threat remains and the fight against terrorist groups must continue”.

Britain

Prime Minister Theresa May called the bastion’s fall “a historic milestone” in the fight against IS, and said the British government remained “committed to eradicating their poisonous ideology”.

US

William Roebuck, an envoy to the US-led coalition fighting IS, called the fall of the group’s last bastion a “critical milestone” that had delivered “a crushing blow” to IS.

Syria Kurds

“A new phase in the fight against terrorists” is beginning, said Mazloum Kobane, the overall commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces, adding that the target was now to eliminate IS “sleeper cells”.

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