US President Donald Trump celebrated the liberation of Raqqa from Daesh, saying this week’s recapture of the Syrian city by US-backed forces could lead to an end of the caliphate, Fox News reported Saturday. 

“The defeat of Daesh in Raqqa represents a critical breakthrough in our worldwide campaign to defeat Daesh and its wicked ideology,” Trump said in a statement released by the White House.

“We will soon transition into a new phase in which we will support local security forces, de-escalate violence across Syria, and advance the conditions for lasting peace, so that the terrorists cannot return to threaten our collective security again,” Trump said.

“I commend all of our coalition partners for the sacrifices they have made in this noble effort,” he said.

Source: MENA