US Defence Department conducts counterterrorism mission in northwest Syria
Feb 03, 2022
Washington [US], February 3 : US Department of Defence successfully conducted a counterterrorism mission in northwest Syria on Wednesday, with no US casualties, said Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby.
"U.S. Special Operations forces under the control of U.S. Central Command conducted a counterterrorism mission this evening in northwest Syria. The mission was successful. There were no U.S. casualties. More information will be provided as it becomes available," he said.
State Department spokesman Ned Price said on Monday, that Washington urged its coalition partners in Syria to enhance secure detention of Islamic State fighters and repatriate their nationals and other detainees remaining in the northeast of the Arab republic.
In mid-January, about 200 terrorists affiliated with the IS escaped in an attack on a prison controlled by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the Syrian city of Al-Hasakah.
The IS attacked the facility in order to free imprisoned fighters.
On Wednesday, the SDF said that the prison was back under control, and about 1,000 remaining terrorists have surrendered.
According to the latest data, 175 terrorists were eliminated and 27 SDF soldiers were killed.
"We call on our partners in the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, whose efforts successfully stripped ISIS of its captured territory, to improve the secure and humane detention of ISIS fighters, support rehabilitation initiatives, and urgently repatriate their nationals and other detainees remaining in northeast Syria. The U.S. government will continue its stabilization and other programs in the region to support these efforts," Price said.
The US remains committed to efforts contributing to the defeat of the IS terrorists, he added.
