Battle of Baghuz Fawqani facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Baghuz Fawqani
Part of the 2017–2019 Deir ez-Zor campaign, the Rojava–Islamist conflict, and the American-led intervention in the Syrian Civil War
Map of the military movements during the final segment of the battle, after 12 February 2019. Syrian government territory is situated west and south of the riverbend.
Date 9 February 2019 (2019-02-09) – 23 March 2019 (2019-03-23) (1 month and 2 weeks) Location Al-Baghuz Fawqani and surroundings, Abu Kamal District, Deir ez-Zor Governorate, Syria 34°27′37″N 40°57′13″E / 34.46028°N 40.95361°E / 34.46028; 40.95361 Result SDF and coalition victory The SDF launches series of assaults in accordance with civilian evacuations IS's "tent city", the heart of the IS enclave, is captured by the SDF on 19 March IS territory is almost completely eradicated from Syria on 23 March, beginning an insurgency phase
Belligerents
Syrian Democratic Forces International Freedom Battalion CJTF–OIR  United States  France  United Kingdom  Iraq (minor cross-border support)  Syria (minor defensive skirmishes)	Islamic State Wilayat al-Sham al-Barakah district
Commanders and leaders
Mazlum Kobane (SDF commander in chief) Jiya Furat (SDF commander for Battle of Baghuz) Adnan Afrin (SDF commander and spokesman) Ahmad Abu Khawla (Deir ez-Zor Military Council commander) Mustafa Manbij (Manbij Revolutionaries Battalion commander) Abu Ali Bard (Army of Revolutionaries Commander) Lt Gen Paul LaCamera (Commander of CJTF–OIR) Colonel Francois-Regis Legrier (Commander of Task Force Wagram)	Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi (Leader of IS) Abdul Nasser Qardash (IS deputy) Abu Khaled Al-Ansari  † (Senior IS commander) Ahmed Jamil al-Sayed  † (IS commander)
Units involved
Syrian Democratic Forces People's Protection Units (YPG) Women's Protection Units (YPJ) Deir ez-Zor Military Council Manbij Military Council Manbij Revolutionaries Battalion Martyr Abdo Dushka Regiment Army of Revolutionaries Northern Democratic Brigade Syriac Military Council (MFS) International Freedom Battalion TKP/ML/ TIKKO United States Armed Forces United States Air Force United States special operations forces (non-combat role) French Armed Forces French Air Force French Army 68e Régiment d'Artillerie d'Afrique Special Forces British Armed Forces Royal Air Force Special Forces Iraqi security forces Popular Mobilization Forces (minor cross-border support) Syrian Arab Army National Defence Forces (minor defensive skirmishes)	Military of IS
Strength
15,000–17,000 fighters Coalition: air support, artillery, and special operations forces (SOF) 100 soldiers supporting from Iraq B-1B heavy bombers Cougar, Oshkosh L-ATV, and Humvee vehicles 40 soldiers supporting from Iraq 3 CAESAR self-propelled howitzer guns Nexter Aravis vehicles Eurofighter Typhoons and MQ-9 Reaper aircraft	4,000–5,000+ fighters
Casualties and losses
65 killed (per SOHR)	259 killed, 4,050 captured (per SOHR) 1,300 killed, 5,000+ captured (per SDF)
216 civilians killed by airstrikes (12 Feb. & 18 March; per SOHR) 64 civilians killed by airstrikes (18 March; per NYT) Many Yazidi slaves killed by IS Italian photographer wounded

The Battle of Baghuz Fawqani was the final major engagement in the campaign against the Islamic State (IS) in Syria. Baghuz Fawqani was the last piece of territory held by IS in Syria, representing their final territorial stand in the Levant.

The battle took place in and around the Syrian town of Al-Baghuz Fawqani, near the Iraq-Syria border. It began on February 9, 2019. The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), supported by airstrikes and special forces from the US-led coalition, fought against IS fighters.

The battle turned into a protracted siege due to the presence of a large number of civilians, many of whom were family members of IS fighters. The SDF implemented a "trickle-out" strategy, pausing assaults to allow civilians and surrendering fighters to evacuate, in an effort to minimize civilian casualties.

On March 18, 2019, a coalition airstrike killed up to 80 people, including 64 civilians and 16 IS militants, according to later reports by The New York Times.

The SDF officially declared victory over IS in Baghuz Fawqani on March 23, 2019, marking the end of the Islamic State's territorial control in Syria.

Aftermath

Two years after the battle, the town still lacked basic utilities, with many buildings in ruins and residents reluctant to return due to fear of IS remnants. This battle was significant as it marked the end of IS's self-proclaimed "caliphate" in terms of territorial control, though the group continued to operate as an insurgency.

Images for kids

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  French and American soldiers in support of the CJTF-OIR in Iraq, March 2019. Coalition forces supported SDF advances with airstrikes and cross-border artillery fires from Iraq

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  The SDF besieging al-Baghuz Fawqani, 12 February 2019

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  Clashes in Al-Baghuz Fawqani, 14 February 2019

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  SDF gunner firing towards the IS camp, 4 March 2019

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  Civilians at an SDF-Coalition screening center, 8 March 2019. Most of the evacuees were families of IS fighters.

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  The southwestern cliffs of Jabal Baghuz ("Baghuz Cliff") in 2014. Many IS fighters and their families hid in deep tunnels and caves along the cliff side. Access points were targeted by airstrikes in the last days of the battle

See also

• Death of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi
• List of wars and battles involving ISIL
• List of last stands
• Battle of Tora Bora
• Battle of Mukalla (2016)
• Battle of Sirte (2016)
• Battle of Mosul (2016–17)
• Battle of Raqqa (2017)
• Battle of Marawi
• 2017 Western Iraq campaign
• Battle of al-Hasakah (2022)
• Brides of ISIL