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A10 WORLD NEWS
Tuesday 5 March 2019

Hundreds leave IS-held area in Syria as fighting slows down

By SARAH EL DEEB An SDF official who goes
Associated Press by Mervan The Brave said
BAGHOUZ, Syria (AP) — many IS gunmen are still in-
Hundreds of people includ- side and prepared to fight.
ing fighters from the Islamic “This is not the end. We
State group evacuated maybe on the threshold of
their last foothold in eastern a new battle,” he said.
Syria Monday hours after He said those who left the
U.S.-backed Syrian fight- IS-held area on Monday in-
ers said they were forced clude people from Bosnia,
to slow their advance be- Turkestan, Kazakhstan, Tur-
cause the extremists are key, Syria and a man who
using civilians as human claims he’s French.
shields. An airstrike followed but it
But despite this hinderance, was not exactly clear what
spokesman for the Kurd- it targeted.
ish-led Syrian Democratic An SDF spokeswoman said
Forces Mustafa Bali tweet- the offensive has slowed
ed that the battle to retake down but pressure is be-
Baghouz, the last territory ing kept up away from the
in Syria held by the Islamic corridor to prevent fighters
State group, was “going to from infiltrating or sabotag-
be over soon.” Columns of black smoke billow from the last small piece of territory held by Islamic State militants ing the area.
Later Monday, an SDF offi- as U.S. backed fighters pounded the area with artillery fire and occasional airstrikes in Baghouz, She spoke on condition
cial said some 500 people, Syria, Sunday, March 3, 2019. of anonymity because
including fighters, have sur- Associated Press she was not authorized to
rendered and evacuated to evacuate the village of SDF fighters manning the foreigners. Some of the speak to the press.
the village of Baghouz and Baghouz later Monday. evacuation corridor. men were of fighting age The U.S.-backed forces re-
its surrounding areas. Ci- Dozens of men, women Shortly before sunset, more and appeared able while sumed their offensive on
yager, the nom de guerre and children climbed hills than 20 cars came out of others carried crutches. Baghouz last Friday, after
of an official with the Kurd- on foot and were later seen the area carrying men, One woman covered in a two-week pause to al-
ish-led SDF, added that 200 getting into small trucks af- women and children some black flashed a victory sign low for the evacuation of
more people are expected ter they were searched by of whom appeared to be as she left. civilians.q

Putin suspends Russian obligations under key nuclear pact

By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV head of the Russian mili- violating the pact. The U.S.
Associated Press tary’s General Staff, met in has accused Russia of de-
MOSCOW (AP) — President Vienna with U.S. Gen. Jo- veloping and deploying a
Vladimir Putin on Monday seph Dunford, chairman cruise missile that violates
suspended Russia’s par- of the Joint Chiefs of Staff provisions of the pact that
ticipation in a key nuclear for talks on strategic stabil- ban production, testing
arms treaty, in response to ity. The INF treaty was one and deployment of land-
Washington’s decision to of the issues discussed in based cruise and ballistic
withdraw. In a decree, Pu- what the Russia’s Defense missiles with a range of 500
tin suspended Russia’s ob- Ministry described as “con- to 5,500 kilometers (310 to
ligations under the terms structive” talks. The U.S. 3,410 miles). The move also
of the 1987 Intermediate- gave notice of its intention reflected President Donald
Range Nuclear Forces trea- to withdraw from the INF Trump’s administration’s
ty and said it will continue a month ago, setting the view that the treaty was an
to do so “until the U.S. ends stage for it to terminate in obstacle to efforts needed
Russian President Vladimir Putin gestures while speaking during
the opening ceremony for the 29th Winter Universiade games its violations of the treaty or six months unless Moscow to counter intermediate-
at the Platinum Arena in Krasnoyarsk, Russia, Saturday, March until it terminates.” returns to compliance. Rus- range missiles deployed by
2, 2019. Putin’s order came as Gen. sia has denied any breach- China, which isn’t part of
Associated Press Valery Gerasimov, the es, and accused the U.S. of the treaty. q