In recent military operations in Syria, the United States military has reported the successful elimination of 37 militants associated with the extremist Islamic State group and an al-Qaeda-linked group. According to U.S. Central Command, two of the militants killed were identified as senior members of these groups.
The first strike, which took place in northwestern Syria on Tuesday, targeted a senior militant from the al-Qaeda-linked Hurras al-Deen group along with eight others. The senior militant was reportedly responsible for overseeing military operations within the group.
Additionally, a separate strike conducted on September 16th targeted an Islamic State training camp in a remote location in central Syria. This 'large-scale airstrike' resulted in the deaths of 28 militants, including at least four Syrian leaders affiliated with the group.
The U.S. military emphasized that these strikes were aimed at disrupting the capabilities of both ISIS and al-Qaeda-linked groups to carry out operations against U.S. interests, allies, and partners in the region.
Currently, there are approximately 900 U.S. forces deployed in Syria, supported by an undisclosed number of contractors. Their primary objective is to prevent the resurgence of extremist groups like ISIS, which previously seized significant territories in Iraq and Syria in 2014.
U.S. forces in Syria work closely with key allies, particularly the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, who are situated in northeastern Syria. This region is strategically important, as it is in close proximity to areas where Iran-backed militant groups are active, including a crucial border crossing with Iraq.
