Maximum extent of ISIL's territorial control in Syria and Iraq in late 2015. (Wikipedia)
CNN: Trump surprises allies, claims US-backed forces reclaimed 100% of ISIS territory in Syria
Washington (CNN)President Donald Trump declared Thursday that US backed forces have retaken 100% of the territory once claimed by ISIS in Syria, an announcement that surprised US officials and regional allies leading the fight who told CNN the battle isn't over.
"We just took over you know you kept hearing it was 90%, 92%, the caliphate in Syria, now it's 100%, we just took over 100% caliphate, that means the area of the land we're just have 100% so that's good," Trump said while addressing US troops at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska on his return trip from Hanoi.
But an official with the Syrian Democratic Forces told CNN's Ben Wedeman the fighting is ongoing and that they were "surprised by this statement" from Trump.
The official also noted that more than a thousand civilians have left the last ISIS enclave within the last few hours.
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WNU Editor: At it's peak in 2014 ISIS controlled over 100,000 square kilometres of territory in Syria and Iraq (Wikipedia). They now control less than 1 square kilometre. So yes. To the purists out there, President Trump should have said 99.99% of ISIS territory in Syria has been taken. But everyone knows that once the last building has been taken, the thousands of surviving ISIS fighters will still be causing mayhem in this part of the world for a long time.
More News On President Trumps Claim That US-Backed Forces Reclaimed 100% Of ISIS Territory In Syria
Trump wrongly says Islamic State holds no land in Syria -- AP
Trump says all Islamic State territory retaken, contradicting allied commander -- Reuters
Trump claims U.S. has eliminated ISIS from '100 per cent' of their territory and Lindsey Graham says caliphate is 'destroyed' – but allied forces in Syria say it's not true and the Pentagon won't talk about it -- Daily Mail
It's Official, Trump Tells Troops: ISIS Caliphate 100 Percent Defeated in Syria -- Military.com
Trump claims '100 percent' of ISIS caliphate defeated in Syria -- ABC News
Trump declares 100% of the ISIS caliphate has been liberated, but forces on the ground say it's not over yet -- Business Insider
Trump just declared ISIS’s caliphate 100% defeated. But ISIS still remains. -- VOX
