As fighting continues, USA claims defeat of ISIS

The United States, on Friday (local time), claimed to have completely defeated ISIS in Syria.

Soon after the announcement, reports of US-backed forces still working on clearing terrorists holed up in tunnels along the village of Baghouz in Syria started emerging, raising questions regarding the United States' claim.

US Press Secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters that acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan had briefed President Donald Trump regarding the alleged defeat, and additional information would "soon" follow. There has been no further announcement yet.

Quoting their team currently on field in Syria, CNN refuted the Press Secretary's claims.

"There has been gunfire coming out of the ISIS positions, which are, admittedly, a very small piece of territory on the edge of a hill outside the eastern end of this town of Baghouz. If you were to look at the amount of territory, it is very small indeed, but the fighting goes on," CNN quoted one of its correspondents from the field as saying.

Meanwhile, Syrian Democratic Forces spokesman Mustafa Bali highlighted that US-backed forces are still continuing efforts to defeat the terror outfit.

"The WH statement doesn't contradict ours: we also believe that ISIS was defeated. There are some groups that refuse to surrender. Our Forces with the assistance of the Coalition forces are working to force them to surrender and defeat them," Bali stated.

The US President has time and again claimed to have defeated the terror outfit, citing it as the main reason behind the US exit from Syria - a decision which has since been overturned.