BEIRUT — The last of the few dozen Islamic State holdouts inside the militant group’s de facto capital in Syria were mounting a final stand on Sunday, after a stream of militants surrendered under a deal brokered by local officials.

The US-backed opposition alliance known as the Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF, said that 275 militants had left Raqqa’s city center, along with their families. It said that they would be interrogated and sent to court if they were suspected to have participated in killings.

The battle for the Islamic State’s most famous stronghold began in June, and SDF forces have advanced with the support of heavy US-led coalition airstrikes as the city has been turned into a virtual ghost town.

The Islamic State has lost all but a sliver of territory in Raqqa. At least 90 percent of the city is believed to be under SDF control, with de-mining squads combing the streets for explosives laid to deter advancing forces.

Washington Post