Angry crowds evacuating from the last shred of territory held by Islamic State (IS) militants in Syria on Wednesday praised the extremist group and chanted “Islamic State will remain,” in a menacing show of support, even as defeat loomed.
There were no signs of combat as calm prevailed for a third day to allow for evacuations from the eastern village of Baghouz.
Journalists positioned across from the IS’ riverside pocket of land saw lines of pickup trucks, motorcycles and people walking on foot, apparently a group of evacuees.
The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which is spearheading the fight against IS in Syria, has been surprised by the large number of civilians — family members of IS fighters in the thousands — who have been streaming out of the tiny enclave.
In recent weeks, the Kurdish-led SDF has been alternately applying military force to put pressure on militants who refuse to surrender, and holding fire long enough to allow for evacuations and surrender.
Thousands of people have trickled out of Baghouz in the past few days.
The latest wave of evacuations brings the IS a step closer to defeat by the SDF. That would be a milestone in the devastating four-year campaign to defeat the group’s so-called “caliphate” that once covered a vast territory straddling both Syria and Iraq.
The fight against IS has taken place amid Syria’s nearly eight-year civil war.
On Wednesday, hundreds of evacuees walked through the dusty desert plateau to get on trucks to carry them to displaced persons camps.
Meanwhile, lines of men walked guided by their enemy, the SDF, to another corner of the plateau to be screened and searched by members of the US-led coalition.
As defeat neared, the anger of defiant supporters among the evacuees was palpable.
Women seen at a reception area set up in the desert, where they were screened by SDF officials, were rowdy and aggressive.
They angrily denounced journalists and praised IS. Engulfed in conservative black robes with a black face covers, they pointed their fingers at the sky and screamed: “Islamic State will stay, God is great, God is great, Islamic State will stay.”
Two women took off their shoes and raised them in the direction of journalists.
“Take a picture of the shoe, the shoes are better than you,” one said.
Children joined, raising their fingers in the air.
A man who refused to give his name screamed at journalists filming the evacuees praying and decried their being depicted as terrorists.
“We only implemented God’s laws,” he shouted, covering half his face.
Abu Sham, a member of the IS religious police who exited Baghouz on Tuesday, said fighters who remained inside are willing to die for the group.
“The Islamic State is not finished,” the 39-year old said, using a moniker that means the father of Syria. “I didn’t lose hope.”
A 30-year-old Iraqi woman said her one-month-old baby, who was sick, died overnight in the reception area from the cold.
“I didn’t want to leave except to treat her,” said the woman, who identified herself as Um Fatima.
She cursed the SDF and said: “The Islamic state will remain and expand, God willing,” and walked away.
Many among those leaving appeared to be wives and children of IS militants, but among those who emerged were 13 Yazidi children from Iraq, looking dusty and dirty, and in a state of shock.
Loubna said she opted to leave, but her husband, a Syrian, decided to stay.
He would fight until the end, she said, adding that he is prepared to blow himself up.
“They have their planes. We have God’s help,” she said.
Loubna said did not think she would see her husband again and would raise her five children to become militants.
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