Following a December ambush that killed two US soldiers and a civilian, American forces conducted multiple strikes on Islamic State targets in Syria, dismantling infrastructure and killing IS fighters while coordinating with Syrian and Iraqi authorities.
The US military on Saturday reported a series of strikes against Islamic State group targets in Syria in retaliation for the December ambush that killed two US soldiers and one American civilian interpreter.
US Central Command said in a statement that American aircraft had conducted 10 strikes against more than 30 IS targets between Feb. 3 and Thursday, hitting weapons storage facilities and other infrastructure.
At least 50 members of IS have been killed or captured, while more than 100 IS targets have been struck since the United States began its strikes after the Dec. 13 ambush, according to Central Command.
Meanwhile, the Syrian Defense Ministry said Thursday that government forces took control of a base in the east of the country that was run for years by U.S. troops as part of the fight against IS. The Al-Tanf base played a major role after IS declared a caliphate in large parts of Syria and Iraq in 2014.
The U.S. military on Friday completed the transfer of thousands of IS detainees from Syria to Iraq, where they are expected to stand trial. The prisoners were sent to Iraq at the request of Baghdad, in a move welcomed by the U.S.-led coalition that had for years fought against IS.
Two US soldiers and a civilian interpreter were killed in Syria in a December ambush by an Islamic State (IS) gunman, officials confirmed, with three other American service members injured. The attacker was “engaged and killed” during the incident.
Syria has recently joined the international coalition against IS and pledged to cooperate with the US in counterterrorism operations. The coalition aims to dismantle the remaining IS networks and prevent foreign fighters from reaching the region.
Though IS lost its last territorial stronghold in Syria in 2019, the group continues to carry out sporadic attacks, with the UN estimating up to 3,000 fighters remain across Syria and Iraq.
US forces have maintained a presence in Syria since 2015, providing training and support to allied local forces as part of the ongoing campaign against the jihadist group.
With inputs from agencies
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