BEIRUT: ISIS acknowledged for the first time that its fighters were defeated in Ain al-Arab but vowed to attack the town again.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based activist group, has said that more than 900 ISIS fighters were killed in 133 days of fighting.

In a video released by the pro-ISIS Aamaq News Agency late Friday, two fighters said the airstrikes by the U.S.-led coalition were the main reason why ISIS fighters were forced to withdraw. One fighter vowed to defeat the main Kurdish militia in Syria, the People’s Protection Units known as the YPG.

“A while ago we retreated a bit from Ain al-Islam because of the bombardment and the killing of some brothers,” one masked fighter said. He spoke Arabic with a North African accent.

“The Islamic State will stay. Say that to [U.S. President Barack] Obama,” said the fighter, pointing his finger toward destruction on the edge of Ain al-Arab.

The fighters both laid blame for their defeat on the coalition air campaign, seemingly downplaying the role played by Kurdish militiamen – whom they refer to as “rats.”

Another ISIS fighter, also speaking in Arabic, said while standing on a road with a green sign with “Ain al-Islam” sprayed on it: “The warplanes did not leave any construction. They destroyed everything, so we had to withdraw and the rats advanced.”

“The warplanes were bombarding us night and day. They bombarded everything, even motorcycles,” the fighter said.