US Central Command says military campaign follows killing of US soldiers, ‘massive strikes’ across central Syria.
The United States military says it has killed or captured about 25 ISIL (ISIS) fighters in a wave of attacks over nine days in Syria.
US Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees the US military’s Middle East operations, issued a statement on Tuesday marking the conclusion of the operations this month.
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The campaign followed the killing of two US soldiers and a civilian interpreter by an ISIL gunman in Syria on December 13 and widescale US strikes against the group six days later.
“US Central Command (CENTCOM) and partners across Syria killed at least seven ISIS members and captured the remainder during 11 missions conducted Dec. 20-29,” CENTCOM statement said. “The operations also led to the elimination of four ISIS weapons caches.”
It did not provide the identities of those targeted.
The US deployed as many as 2,000 soldiers to Syria during the fight against ISIL, which started in 2014.
The current deployment of US soldiers sits at about 1,000 with the administration of US President Donald Trump announcing this year that it would further slash the number of US bases and soldiers in the country.
ISIL controlled large areas in Syria and Iraq from 2014 to 2019. Despite the group’s territorial defeat, US officials said ISIL remnants continue to pose a threat to the region.
The US military has long cooperated with the Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in northeastern Syria. Since the fall of President Bashar al-Assad a year ago, CENTCOM has said it is also working with the new Syrian government.
Syria officially joined the US-led global coalition against ISIL last month after President Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former rebel commander who once led a group with ties to al-Qaeda, visited the White House and met with Trump.
On Tuesday, CENTCOM said the initial December 19 attacks against ISIL hit “70 targets with more than 100 precision munitions”.
“The massive strike executed by dozens of fighter aircraft, attack helicopters and artillery destroyed ISIS infrastructure and weapons sites across central Syria,” it said, adding that the strikes were conducted in coordination with Jordanian forces.
CENTCOM commander Brad Cooper said the US “will not relent” in going after ISIL remnants.
“Continuing to hunt down terrorist operatives, eliminate ISIS networks, and work with partners to prevent an ISIS resurgence makes America, the region, and the world safer,” he said.
Myriad challenges
The fight against ISIL is one of the many security challenges facing Syria.
Sporadic clashes have been breaking out between government forces and SDF fighters.
In southern Syria, the government in Damascus said Israel has been expanding its occupation beyond the Golan Heights, regularly setting up checkpoints in Syrian towns, carrying out raids, and abducting and disappearing Syrian citizens without provocation.
On Monday, Trump, who lifted sanctions against Damascus and has been a vocal supporter of al-Sharaa, told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he should “get along” with Syria.
“We do have an understanding regarding Syria,” Trump said. “Now, with Syria, you have a new president. I respect him. He’s a very strong guy, and that’s what you need in Syria.”
The killing of the three Americans in Syria and the US military response came after Washington announced it was looking to shift its focus and foreign policy resources from the Middle East to the Western Hemisphere.
