U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has confirmed that the U.S. military carried out airstrikes in Syria to eliminate ISIS camps following the collapse of longtime leader Bashar al-Assad’s regime over the weekend.
In a lightning advance, a coalition of opposition groups took over much of the country, including the capital of Damascus, forcing Assad to flee to Russia, officials say.
The ISIS terrorist group ruled parts of Syria and Iraq for several years before it was degraded by U.S. and Russian strikes and operations starting in the middle of the previous decade. The group’s first leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, was killed in a 2019 U.S. operation in Idlib Province, Syria.
CENTCOM struck more than 75 targets on Dec. 8 with Air Force B-52 bombers, F-15 fighter jets, and A-10 Warthog close support planes, it said. It’s not clear whether the ISIS terrorist group was part of the coalition of groups that overthrew Assad’s regime.
“Battle damage assessments are underway, and there are no indications of civilian casualties,” the military’s statement said. “CENTCOM, together with allies and partners in the region, will continue to carry out operations to degrade ISIS operational capabilities even during this dynamic period in Syria.”
The Assad regime’s collapse has raised questions about what lies ahead for Syria and whether more fighting will ensue, but Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla said in a CENTCOM statement that the United States will move against ISIS so it cannot “constitute and take advantage of the current situation.”
“All organizations in Syria should know that we will hold them accountable if they partner with or support ISIS in any way,” the general stated.
The United States has about 900 troops in Syria, including forces working with Kurdish allies in the opposition-held northeast to prevent any resurgence of the ISIS group.
The group leading the opposition takeover of Syria is known as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, which was previously affiliated with the al-Qaeda terrorist organization. HTS is designated as a terror group by both the United States and the United Nations.
Its leader, Mohammed al-Golani, who now goes by his real name, Ahmad al-Sharaa, has also been designated by the United States as a terrorist for his affiliation with al-Qaeda. He founded the group Al-Nusra Front, a jihadist terrorist organization, that fought against Assad’s forces and wanted to establish an Islamic caliphate in Syria, serving as its leader.
“We gave the Israeli army the order to take over these positions to ensure that no hostile force embeds itself right next to the border of Israel,” the prime minister said in a video statement. “This is a temporary defensive position until a suitable arrangement is found.”
On the evening of Dec. 8, U.S. President Joe Biden released a statement on the capture of Damascus and Assad’s downfall. He said that his administration’s foreign policy decisions have weakened Russia, Iran, and groups they support.
“Our approach has shifted the balance of power in the Middle East,” Biden said after a meeting with his national security team.
