"It was here nearly seven years ago that IS made its last stand. Its most zealous followers were obliterated along with the blood-soaked caliphate they fought to defend. Their bodies were collected and buried next to the town graveyard, while bulldozers came and sealed the entire area under a layer of heavy yellow earth."
"They are our neighbours. It's known who in the village is with IS. They feel nostalgic for the days of the caliphate, and for sure they would readily join IS if it came back, said an activist in Baghuz, asking to remain anonymous out of fears for his security."
"This week, the group lurched back into the open. Its spokesperson Abu Hudhayfah al-Ansari released a speech more than 30 minutes long the first time in two years that IS has put out such a public display to its followers. In the speech, the spokesperson took aim at the new Syrian government, decrying President Ahmed al-Sharaa as an apostate and a puppet for the west."
Nearly seven years after Islamic State's final stand in Baghuz, Syria, the group shows signs of resurgence in the rural Deir ez-Zor province. While the physical battlefield remains barren and sealed, IS members now live among the local population as neighbors and sympathizers. Residents report recognizing IS supporters by their dress and habits, with some expressing nostalgia for the caliphate era. The group's recent activity includes a 30-minute speech from spokesperson Abu Hudhayfah al-Ansari, marking the first major public display in two years. The speech criticized Syria's new government, denouncing President Ahmed al-Sharaa as an apostate and Western puppet, signaling IS's intent to challenge the new Syrian administration.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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