Amid talk of a never-ending exodus of civilians
from underground in the Syrian village of Baghouz, the Kurdish SDF is
waiting on a final push into the last ISIS-held village. The US,
however, is not so patient.
On Monday, US warplanes attacked Baghouz, killing at least 50 people. Details on what the intended target was is unclear, but the reports suggest that the dead were mostly women and children.
The attack came after the latest deadline set by the SDF for ISIS to
surrender passed on Sunday, but with many thousands having left the
village in the past few days, the SDF seemed fine just extending the
deadline and getting more people out.
In the past few months, US airstrikes backing the SDF offensive have
killed hundreds, if not thousands, of civilians. With thousands of
civilians still believed to be in Baghouz, the US strikes are
undermining the SDF’s effort to convince them to leave, by showing that
those who try to leave may be targeted.
This is ISIS. These people have committed the most horrible atrocities imaginable. They are unrepentant, and refuse to surrender. I have no sympathy for them. Now they reap what they have sown.