Islamic State has lost 95% territory in Syria, Iraq

Baghdad, Nov 17 (IANS/AKI) The so-called Islamic State has lost control of 95 percent of the land it overran in Syria and Iraq in 2014, the US Presidential envoy to the global coalition fighting the jihadist group said.

"IS has lost 95 percent of the territories it controlled in Iraq and Syria since the coalition was formed in 2014," Brett McGurk said in a declaration that followed a meeting of coalition members in Jordan on Wednesday.

"Over 7.5 million people have been liberated," McGurk went on. The flow of foreign fighters in Syria "is almost at a standstill", he said.

"More and more fighters are being stopped at the frontier," McGurk added.

The envoy stressed the importance of accompanying military victories with political and diplomatic action and continuing support of projects to boost stability in areas of Iraq and Syria formerly held by IS.

--IANS/AKI

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