Battle Against ISIS In Baghouz Continues

At least seven members of U.S.-backed forces and 18 suspected terrorists have been killed in fighting to push ISIS from its last territorial holding in eastern Syria, reports the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a U.K.-based watchdog group. 

On Friday, Baghouz, the last town held by the terror group, was cleared of civilians and offensive operations could resume, said a Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) spokesman cited by CNN. 

Some troops evacuating the town and U.S. officials disputed this assertion. 

By Sunday, at least seven SDF fighters had been killed in the fighting, mostly by land mines. 

ISIS suicide attacks and a fear of anti-personnel mines pushed the U.S. coalition to pause the advance for 18 hours while fighters cleared mines from the area, reported Reuters. Militants are also using underground tunnels for ambushes.

The pace of the advance has slowed in the face of the fierce resistance, said a spokesman for the U.S.-led coalition. ISIS fighters were using suicide vests and car bombs to hinder the offensive and planted improvised explosive devices in the tunnels.

The militants still held some civilians, which they were using as human shields, said an SDF spokesman as quoted by the Rudaw (Iraqi Kurdistan).

Reports have suggested that the most seasoned fighters in ISIS remain in the town. The terror group is expected to remain a threat even after it is pushed out of its last territorial holdings.