The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights

The International Coalition and the SDF put more pressure on more than 250 persons of the organization hiding in one of Al-Baghuz caves to force them surrender through firing and throwing flares and smoke bombs

Deir Ezzor Province – The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights: the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights learned that more than 250 persons of the “Islamic State” organization are holed up in one of the caves in Al-Baghuz farms at the eastern banks of the Euphrates River, where they refuse to surrender, while a process of pressure by the International Coalition and the Syria Democratic Forces is underway to force them surrender, through bombardment by the International Coalition warplanes targeting the vicinity of the cave, in conjunction with firing and throwing flares and smoke bombs on the cave and its vicinity, as the Coalition’s strikes have not been able to destroy the cave or target it directly for fear of the presence of kidnapped people inside the cave, of those who were kidnapped previously by the organization, in addition to information about the presence of ISIS first-rank commanders inside the cave, and the Syrian Observatory published hours ago, that it monitored a complete continues blackout after the massacre that was carried out by the International Coalition on Tuesday, 19th of March 2019, in which more than 200 people of the “Islamic State” Organization’s families have been killed; in addition to members of organization, and when the Syrian Observatory asked field commanders of the Syria Democratic Forces in the battlefield about the massacre, the answer came that the people who were killed are of the caliphate cubs and women of the caliphate, but it is clear through the videos and pictures the presence of children under the age of 10 killed during the massacre, so, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights renews its demand for an independent investigation into the massacre of 200 people, and the sources who were asked by the Syrian Observatory added that the strikes on the camp at that time targeted a gathering of them in Baghuz camp, after the Syria Democratic Forces were unable to capture them or pushing them to surrender, and the Syrian Observatory published yesterday that the Syrian Observatory received information about killing about 200 people of members of the “Islamic State” Organization and their families of women and children in a massacre by International Coalition warplanes, which bombarded Baghuz camp yesterday, Tuesday, and the Syrian Observatory learned that the 200 bodies were buried on Wednesday.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights calls for an independent investigation into the massacre and whether the International Coalition knew during the bombardment of the camp about the presence of children and women of the Organization’s families; or whether it knew only of presence of ISIS members there, and why was the media prevented from entering the area at dawn on yesterday during the burial process, and in the same context, the Syrian Observatory learned that sweeping operations are still taking place within Baghuz farms by the Syria Democratic Forces, after completely extending its control over the area and arriving at the east bank of Euphrates River, and the sweeping operation comes in search of members of the Organization who could be hiding in tunnels of Baghuz farms, and the Syrian Observatory published hours ago, that the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights learned that the Syria Democratic supported by the International Coalition, were able to control the entire area of Baghuz farms in the eastern sector of Deir Ezzor countryside, after terminating the presence of the “Islamic State” Organization in the area completely, following the decisive battle which aimed to push the remaining members of the “Islamic State” Organization in Baghuz to surrender , the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored continuous sweeping operations carried out by the Syria Democratic Forces in the remaining tunnels and trenches which were not swept so far in search of hidden members, and in the same context, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights received information about a massacre committed by aerial and missile shelling in Baghuz farms and that bodies of members of the “Islamic State” Organization and their families were buried dawn on yesterday, Wednesday, and the Syrian Observatory published yesterday that the Syria Democratic Forces with the support of the International Coalition; continue the sweeping process of Baghuz area near the east bank of Euphrates River, in an effort to end the entire presence of Organization completely in the remainder tunnels and trenches which have not been swept until now, where the sweep is underway searching for hiding members of the “Islamic State” Organization in the area, after thousands of fighters surrendered over the past days and weeks, and the Syrian Observatory published hours earlier that 192 consecutive days, some of which were easy and others were difficult, witnessed killing and calm, shelling and stillness, death and life, surrender and refusal, it is an operation that began on the 10th of September 2018, launched by the Syria Democratic Forces with the aim of eliminating the “Islamic State” Organization in the part remaining for it east of Euphrates area, which spread from Hajin town to the Syrian-Iraqi border along the east banks of Euphrates River from the eastern sector of Deir Ezzor countryside, where the Syrian Observatory monitored the start of military operations accompanied by ground shelling by the Syria Democratic Forces and bombardment by the International Coalition warplanes and its ground forces, which were accompanied by violent clashes and hit-and-run clashes between the “Islamic State” Organization against members of the Syria Democratic the Forces supported by ground forces of the International Coalition, and during the past 6 months the area has witnessed counterattacks by the Organization, which caused significant casualties of the Organization and its members, and of the Syria Democratic Forces.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights documented large casualties of both civilians and militaries, because of mine explosions, bombings, bombardment by the International Coalition and ground shelling, clashes, as well as tens of people who died as a result of their poor health, where the Syrian Observatory documented the death of 474 people including 164 children and 97 citizen women (including 268 Syrian citizens including 109 children and 64 women of Syrian nationality) the number of civilians killed since the 10th of December 2018, also it rose to 753, the number of fighters of the Syria Democratic Forces who have been killed since the 10th of November 2018, also it rose to 1442, the number of fighters and leaders of the “Islamic State” Organization who were killed in the shelling, clashes, bombings, and raids, also the “Islamic State” Organization had executed more than 720 detainees, of who it arrested on various charges including security members and members of the Organization who tried to break away of it and escape its controlled areas, and the executions were carried out inside headquarters and detention centers of the Organization, and within its controlled areas, also the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights documented the death of at least 117 children since the beginning of December 2018 until today the 20th of March 2019.

Also, since the beginning of December 2018 until today, the 20th of March 2019 that 63250 people including 8300 ISIS members mostly Iraqis, they got out of Baghuz farms and ISIS enclave before being besieged within this area, including more than 61250 people have gotten out the Organization’s enclave towards the Syria Democratic Forces’ controlled areas, since the decision of the US President Trump to withdraw from Syria on the 19th of December 2018, hours ago the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights published that the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored the continuation of sweeping operation by the Syria Democratic Forces in Baghuz farms area in its tunnels and trenches, which is located on the east bank of Euphrates River in the eastern sector of Deir Ezzor countryside, after the surrender of more than 1000 ISIS member of the Organization in the last 24 hours, where the Syria Democratic Forces and the International Coalition seek to ensure that the area is free of ISIS Organization or groups refusing to surrender, after 12 member of the Organization bombed themselves using explosive belts after they refused to surrender to the SDF in Al-Baghuz farms.

Pictures by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights show the targeting by the SDF and the International Coalition by flares and smoke bombs to one of the caves where 200 ISIS members and tens of persons are holed up in Al-Baghuz farms

صور للمرصد السوري لحقوق الإنسان تظهر استهداف قسد والتحالف الدولي بالقنابل الضوئية والدخانية لأحد الكهوف التي يتحصن بها 200 عنصر من تنظيم "الدولة الإسلامية" وعشرات الاشخاص في مزارع الباغوز

Posted by ‎المرصد السوري‎ on Friday, March 22, 2019