DEIR AL-ZOR, Syria (Reuters) - The U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) started an attack to capture Islamic State’s last remaining shred of territory in eastern Syria on Sunday and were exchanging fire with the jihadist militants, an SDF official said.

“The military operations have started. Our forces are now clashing with the terrorists and the attack started,” Mustafa Bali, head of the SDF media office, told Reuters.