US expects to oust Islamic State from Syrian soil within weeks

Islamic State is expected to lose its final bits of territory in Syria to U.S.-backed forces within a couple of weeks, U.S. Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan said on Tuesday. The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, which have been backed by 2,000 U.S. troops and air support, are preparing for a final showdown with Islamic State in eastern Syria after helping to drive the fighters from the towns and cities that once formed the group's self-proclaimed caliphate.