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Intl. Coalition: Islamic State Controls Just 300 Kilometers in Syria

by Carla Babb

   PENTAGON --

   The Islamic State terror group has lost control of all but around 300
   square kilometers in Syria, anti-IS coalition officials told reporters
   Tuesday.
   French Brigadier General Frederic Parisot, the director of
   civil-military operations for Combined Joint Task Force-Operation
   Inherent Resolve, said the group holds an area of about 30 kilometers
   x10 kilometers in eastern Deir el-Zour province, stretching from the
   town of Hajin to al-Bukamal.
   Parisot said he did not know the number of Islamic State fighters in
   the area, but cautioned that the fighting could continue for "at least
   two or three months."
   The French general added that coalition should stay in Iraq and Syria
   once Islamic State is completely defeated to ensure that the group does
   not regain the ability to hold terrain.
   "I think it's an effort of all the coalition to make sure that after
   the major combat operations we stay enough to defeat Daesh on a
   permanent basis," Parisot said, using an Arabic acronym for Islamic
   State.
   At its height, the terror group controlled nearly a third of Iraq and
   large areas of northern Syria.

   Carla is VOA's Pentagon correspondent covering defense and
   international security issues. Her datelines include Ukraine, Turkey,
   Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq and Korea.