Check out these photos of the last hours of the 'caliphate'

Starting off as the Islamic State of the Iraq and Sham (Levant), IS became the talk of the globe when it established its so-called calliphate in 2014. Civilians, analysts and policy makers were left scared and perplexed as they established a network and began to recruit across the world to commit henious crimes.

They carried out genocide through mass executions, taking women as sex slaves, and meting out bloody punishments against anyone who disobeyed their rule, including journalists reporting the conflict.

The group also targeted major cities across the world, killing thousands in a range of bomb attacks, car-rammings and shoot-outs.

After a long battle, they have since lost all their territory to various offensives in both Syria and Iraq, except for their last encampment in the eastern Syrian village of Baghouz, which they are holding on with hot coal as even that is being recaptured.

The battle of Baghouz is the last battle to defeat IS completely. Here are some photos documenting these moments in history:

An SDF fighter aiming at IS militants towards Baghouz [AFP]

 

	Women and children being evacuated [AFP]

 

SDF-launched explosives landing on IS militants in Baghouz [AFP]

 

	An SDF fighter gestures after he finishes shooting with his assault rifle [AFP]

 

More fighting through the night [AFP]