MESOPOTAMIA NEWS UPDATE BAGHOUZ SYRIA – March 17: Could there really be 5,000 more people in Baghuz – by Seth Frantzman

Latest details indicate that there may still be thousands of ISIS members in Baghuz. The area was supposed to fall this week, but video indicates it will not. Instead more people are still there and fighting.#BREAKING: Based on information from captured #ISIS members, an estimated 5,000 fighters and their families remain in #Baghouz, according to SDF spox @KinoGabriel1 pic.twitter.com/RLfkNzlfaj

— Rudaw English (@RudawEnglish) March 17, 2019

More details are coming in, it now appear that in February there were still 20,000 people in Baghuz.

This has created a real crises to take care of the people.

As the media fixates on ‘Isis brides’, the Syrian Democratic Forces are struggling to keep thousands of people alive in the desert, with little help from international aid groups. Novara Media and @RojavaIC report from the frontline. https://t.co/FVYfQAfqPr

— Novara Media (@novaramedia) March 15, 2019

The SDF also has new details. “SDF spokesperson Kino Gabriel updates situation from #Baghouz 1,600 #ISIS killed, 25,000 captured, 82 SDF killed, 61 wounded.”

Overall 60,000 people have left Baghuz, including 5,000 ISIS fighters. 29,000 surrendered in Baghuz in total.

Over 60,000 people, mostly civilians, have fled from last Islamic State Syria enclave – SDF
“SDF Kino Gabriel told 29,600 people, surrendered since siege of Baghouz + on Euphrates
Among them 5,000 Terrorist fighters” –https://t.co/PTPVWjNWw9 via @NewsNowUK

— Friedhelm Hepping (@demian_goldmund) March 17, 2019