BALDWIN: Right now, U.S. backed forces are beginning the battle to clear out the last is pocket in eastern Syria despite President Trump declaring hours ago that ISIS has been 100 percent defeated in Syria. CNN senior international correspondent Ben Wedeman is still live in eastern Syria. He's been there for quite a while covering this story for us. Ben, hundreds of people were just evacuated. What can you tell us?</s>BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: What I can tell you, Brooke, is that indeed ISIS does still control that very small enclave in eastern Syria. We spoke to many of those who came out somewhere between 250 and 300 people, some of them who quickly admitted that they indeed still support is, but they said that ISIS fighters are still inside that town. We spoke to soldiers who were there when the civilians were brought out. They said that they intermingled with those ISIS fighters, so, yes, it's still under the control of is. How much longer is not at all clear. The operation began at 6:00 p.m. local time. I can hear aircraft overhead. We understand that the area is being bombed at the moment, but the battle is by no means over. In fact, last night I was with some senior Democratic force officials when this statement came out that President Trump said that 100 percent of ISIS territory had been regained and they met it with a good deal of consternation, saying, no, the battle is not over and they thought he's being rather premature at this point given that there still may be many more casualties among their men as this battle goes forward. They don't know how long it's going to take. They know that some of the most experienced and battle hardened is fighters are still inside that very small pocket of territory. The officials say that there are no civilians left inside, although we did speak to one of the soldiers who was there when they were coming out of the town today, the last civilians and he told us that, in fact, the so-called families of ISIS martyrs insist on staying inside that last enclave and perhaps ding there. Brooke.
United States Backed Forces Began Last Battle Against ISIS in Syria.