The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a coalition primarily of Kurdish fighters, alongside international support from the United States, successfully captured Baghuz, the last territory held by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). This decisive victory on March 23, 2019, came after months of intense fighting, culminating in a siege that saw thousands of civilians and ISIL members surrendering. Baghuz’s strategic location on the Euphrates River made it a vital stronghold for ISIL, who had declared a caliphate in 2014, controlling vast areas across Syria and Iraq. The SDF's offensive was supported by U.S.-led airstrikes and military assistance, which played a crucial role in weakening ISIL’s defenses.In the aftermath of the capture, the SDF declared military victory over ISIL, though officials recognized that the group had transitioned from a state-like entity to a more covert and fragmented insurrection. Despite losing control over significant territory, ISIL's ideology persisted, maintaining sleeper cells that continued to carry out attacks in both Syria and Iraq. The fall of Baghuz was symbolic, representing the crumbling of ISIL’s self-declared caliphate, yet the regional instability persisted, as the remnants of the group posed ongoing threats to security and reconstruction efforts in the war-torn region.