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ISIS fighters drop guns, retreat in first-ever surrender to U.S.
| New York Daily News | - |
American-backed forces in Syria surrounded more than 100 ISIS fighters during a key battle last week - and then let them go, according to U.S.
Syria ISIS fighters drop weapons and agree to leave safely in first-ever surrender to U.S. forces
ISIS supporters are seen near burned cars in Manbij on Sunday.
(Uncredited/AP)Col. Chris Garver, a spokesman for American coalitions fighting ISIS, said the surprise move likely saved the lives of hostages held by the terror group. According to USA Today, this is the first time ISIS has agreed to surrender its weapons and walk away unscathed from a fight with American-led forces.
Officials said fighters with the U.S.-supported Syrian Democratic Forces overpowered ISIS militants last Friday in a battle to reclaim the northern city of Manbij.
But the jihadists had hundreds of civilians in captivity — and were using them as human shields.
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“They kept throwing civilians to basically walk into the line of fire, trying to get them shot to use that potentially as propaganda, we think,” Garver told reporters in the Pentagon on Tuesday.
He cited the civilians as the main reason for the bloodless truce.
Between 100 and 200 militants agreed to drop their weapons and flee Manbij through a safe route, officials said. Drones watched over them to make sure they didn’t reverse course, and are still tracking them now, Garver said.
Syrian Democratic Forces took back control of Manbij after three months of fighting, and are now scouring the area for any remnants of the terror group’s reign. Garver said troops found a “significant number” of explosive devices left there by jihadists.
U.S.-backed fighters push ISIS from northern Syrian town
American officials said about 2,000 ISIS fighters were killed by airstrikes during the three-month battle for Manbij. The city was seen as a major loss for the terror group, since it includes a key supply route between the Turkish border and Raqqa, ISIS’ unofficial Syrian capital.
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