Russian Military: ISIS Defeated in Syria, Mission 'Accomplished'

A member of the Syrian Democratic Forces calls his comrades during the fighting with Islamic State fighters in Raqqa, Syria August 14. REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra
A member of the Syrian Democratic Forces calls his comrades during the fighting with Islamic State fighters in Raqqa, Syria August 14. REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra
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Russian Military: ISIS Defeated in Syria, Mission 'Accomplished'

A member of the Syrian Democratic Forces calls his comrades during the fighting with Islamic State fighters in Raqqa, Syria August 14. REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra
A member of the Syrian Democratic Forces calls his comrades during the fighting with Islamic State fighters in Raqqa, Syria August 14. REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra

Russia’s defence military said on Thursday it had accomplished its mission of defeating ISIS in Syria, and today there are no remaining settlements in the country under the control of the terrorist organisation.

Syria is "completely liberated" from the group, according to the military.

"The Russian armed forces' goal to defeat armed groups of ISIS terrorist organisation in Syria has been accomplished," stated senior military officer Sergei Rudskoi who is in charge of the general staff’s main operations department.

“The final stage of the defeat of the terrorists was accompanied by the unprecedented deployment of Russia’s air force,” Russia’s Rossiya 24 TV channel showed Rudskoi saying.

Russia’s military deployed in Syria will now focus on preserving ceasefires and restoring peaceful life, he added, Reuters reported.

Syrian regime forces and allied militia have cleared the last pockets held by ISIS group on the west bank of the Euphrates River, a monitor said. However, terrorists still hold areas on the east bank in the north of Deir Ezzor province, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights stated.

"ISIS no longer has a presence on the western side of the river," Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP.

"Its biggest presence is on the eastern side of the Euphrates, where it still holds around eight percent of Deir Ezzor province," he added.

ISIS also is present in eastern sides of the central provinces of Homs and Hama, and in the Yarmuk camp near Damascus.



UN: Lifelines Keeping People Alive in Gaza Are Collapsing

21 July 2025, Palestinian Territories, Gaza: Mourners pray near the bodies of Palestinians killed in overnight Israeli strikes, according to medics, during the funeral at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. Photo: Omar Ashtawy/APA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
21 July 2025, Palestinian Territories, Gaza: Mourners pray near the bodies of Palestinians killed in overnight Israeli strikes, according to medics, during the funeral at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. Photo: Omar Ashtawy/APA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
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UN: Lifelines Keeping People Alive in Gaza Are Collapsing

21 July 2025, Palestinian Territories, Gaza: Mourners pray near the bodies of Palestinians killed in overnight Israeli strikes, according to medics, during the funeral at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. Photo: Omar Ashtawy/APA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
21 July 2025, Palestinian Territories, Gaza: Mourners pray near the bodies of Palestinians killed in overnight Israeli strikes, according to medics, during the funeral at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. Photo: Omar Ashtawy/APA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is appalled by an accelerating breakdown of humanitarian conditions in Gaza "where the last lifelines keeping people alive are collapsing," his spokesperson said on Monday.

"He deplores the growing reports of children and adults suffering from malnutrition," UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said.

"Israel has the obligation to allow and facilitate by all the means at its disposal the humanitarian relief provided by the United Nations and by other humanitarian organizations."

Israeli ground troops for the first time Monday pushed into areas of a central Gaza city where several aid groups are based, in what appeared to be the latest effort to carve up the Palestinian territory with military corridors.

Deir al-Balah is the only Gaza city that has not seen major ground operations or suffered widespread devastation in 21 months of war, leading to speculation that the Hamas militant group holds large numbers of hostages there. The main group representing hostages’ families said it was “shocked and alarmed” by the incursion, which was confirmed by an Israeli military official, and demanded answers from Israeli leaders.

Israel says the seizure of territory in Gaza is aimed at pressuring Hamas to release hostages, but it is a major point of contention in ongoing ceasefire talks.

The UN food agency, meanwhile, accused Israeli forces of firing on a crowd of Palestinians seeking humanitarian aid over the weekend. Gaza's Health Ministry called it one of the deadliest attacks on aid-seekers in the war that has driven the territory to the brink of famine.