Two ISIS officials were killed in a US military operation in eastern Syria, US officials confirmed Sunday.
The “successful helicopter raid” executed by US military forces followed “extensive planning” and resulted in no civilian deaths or injuries, according to US Central Command (CENTCOM) press release. Officials confirmed the identity of one of the two terrorists as Anas, an ISIS Syrian province official with involvement “in the group’s deadly plotting and facilitation operations in eastern Syria.”
“The death of these ISIS officials will disrupt the terrorist organization’s ability to further plot and carry out destabilizing attacks in the Middle East,” said CENTCOM spokesperson Joe Buccino. (RELATED: ‘Terrorism Crimes’: DOJ Slaps ISIS-Funding Company With Over $700 Million Fine)
US Raid Kills ISIS Officials in Syriahttps://t.co/gmq7qGsEKK pic.twitter.com/6lZUWkROa5
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) December 11, 2022
US involvement in Syria stems from continued commitment to counterterrorism efforts in the region, particularly in response to ISIS, the press release stated. “ISIS continues to represent a threat to the security and stability of the region. This operation reaffirms CENTCOM’s steadfast commitment to ensuring the group’s enduring defeat,” Buccino stated.
The early morning helicopter attack comes less than two weeks after the US celebrated news of another ISIS leader’s death. Abu al-Hassan al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi’s mid-October death on the battlefield was announced by an ISIS spokesperson November 30, making him the second ISIS leader to die this year.
Ongoing military operations in the region “have been successful in seriously degrading ISIS capabilities in Syria and Iraq,” President Biden stated in a December 8 War Powers Report. Roughly 900 US military personnel operate in Syria, targeting ISIS in counterterrorism efforts, according to the US Naval Institute.