OAN Staff Blake Wolf
1:55 PM – Monday, October 28, 2024
The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) stated on Wednesday that it launched a “series of strikes” in the Middle East this week, targeting ISIS fighters in Syria and reportedly taking down 35 terrorists.
The recent strikes follow a trend of operations targeting ISIS.
Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh stated that ISIS’ influence “has spread to other parts of the world,” however the terrorist organization isn’t resurging, rather “that they still remain a threat.”
“U.S. Central Command forces conducted a series of strikes against several known ISIS camps in Syria, in the early evening of Oct 28, resulting in up to 35 ISIS operatives killed,” a statement released by CENTCOM on X read.
“The strikes targeted multiple ISIS locations in the Syrian desert, targeting multiple ISIS senior leaders,” the statement continued, although it is unclear if any senior leaders were killed in the strikes.
“There are no indications of civilian casualties,” the announcement added. “The airstrikes will disrupt the ability of ISIS to plan, organize and conduct attacks against civilians, as well as U.S., allies, and partners throughout the region and beyond. CENTCOM, alongside allies and partners in the region, will continue to aggressively degrade ISIS operational capabilities to ensure its enduring defeat.”
The announcement follows multiple operations targeting ISIS members in Iraq, which resulted in at least seven terrorist deaths and two American soldiers being injured.
U.S. soldiers have fought alongside coalition groups in Iraq and Syria since 2014, during ISIS’s inception, to prevent the terrorist group from threatening the security of the region.
Less than 1,000 U.S. troops reportedly remain in Syria, while around 2,500 troops are currently stationed in Iraq.
Additionally, commentators have speculated that the U.S. could pull its troops out of Iraq as early as 2025, due to a statement from the Pentagon last month. The statement maintained that the Pentagon plans to shift its “footprint” in Iraq next year, opting to take a more passive role in assisting the country.
The move would also present a major shift in approach in regards to tackling terrorism in the region, as the U.S. and Iraq stated that they would conclude the coalitions military mission “over the next twelve months, and no later than the end of September 2025,” transitioning to a bilateral security partnership “in a manner that supports Iraqi forces and maintains pressure on ISIS.”
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