British Prime Minister Theresa May on Saturday hailed the defeat of the Islamic State (ISIS) after the capture of the terrorist network's last held territory of Baghuz in Syria and vowed to carry on fighting the terrorist ideology.
Prime Minister May praised the extraordinary courage of British forces that have fought in Syria and Iraq alongside a US-led global military coalition.
"The liberation of the last Daesh (ISIS) held territory is a historic milestone that would not have been possible without their (armed forces') commitment, professionalism and courage, May said in a Downing Street statement.
But we must not lose sight of the threat Daesh poses and the Government remains committed to eradicating their poisonous ideology. We will continue to do what is necessary to protect the British people and our allies, she said.
UK Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt echoed her views on the historic moment achieved by the tireless work of the global forces against terror.
Daesh once imposed their rule of terror on an area the size of the United Kingdom. Now the last territory held by Daesh in Syria has been liberated, he said.
But we cannot be complacent. Even without territory, Daesh and its poisonous ideology will continue to pose a threat to the people of Iraq and Syria, as well as to the wider world. The international community must remain firm in its determination to counter and defeat it, he said.
ISIS had held out for months against the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the small town of Baghuz on the Euphrates river, clinging on to an area of land less than 700 sq metres wide despite fierce coalition bombing.
On Saturday an SDF spokesperson, Mustafa Bali, tweeted that the town had been liberated.
On this unique day we commemorate thousands of martyrs whose efforts made the victory possible, he wrote.
The elimination of the so-called ISIS Caliphate is a significant symbolic victory against the terror group, which at the height of its power held more than 8 million people hostage to its bloody interpretation of Islamic law.
This has been a long campaign ending the misery of millions, as [Isis] swept through Syria and Iraq, and came so close to taking the city of Baghdad. But due to the tireless efforts of our service personnel, we have been able to beat them back, depriving them of territory and making sure that Britain is safer, said UK defence secretary Gavin Williamson.
But we cannot be complacent. They've dispersed, and they'll continue to pose a threat to Britain, and that is why we will always remain vigilant, he said.
At least 11,000 SDF fighters, a Kurdish-led militia which includes Arab, Syriac and Turkmen units, have died in the four-year military campaign against ISIS in Syria. Tens of thousands more troops died across the border in Iraq, with countless civilian causalties.
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