The United States Central Command (USCENTCOM) announced significant advances in counterterrorism operations targeting Islamic State (ISIS) militants in Iraq and Syria. According to a Monday statement, since August 29, U.S. forces, in partnership with Iraqi and Syrian security forces, conducted 95 operations, leading to the deaths of 163 ISIS members and the capture of 33 others.
Among those detained or killed were over 30 senior and mid-level ISIS leaders, whose removal has reportedly hindered the group’s operational capabilities. The operations have also resulted in the seizure of substantial enemy material.
The U.S. military has maintained consistent pressure on ISIS cells in Iraq and Syria as part of ongoing efforts to prevent a resurgence of the group, which previously held extensive territory in the region before its military defeat in 2019. USCENTCOM commander General Michael Erik Kurilla reaffirmed the commitment to sustained pressure on ISIS, emphasizing the intent to “disrupt their capability to conduct operations against U.S. interests, as well as those of our allies and partners.”
Targeted strikes in late October on camps in the Syrian desert resulted in the deaths of approximately 35 ISIS militants. On October 22, joint American-Iraqi operations targeted ISIS members in central Iraq, killing at least seven operatives. These missions have not been without cost; during one such raid, two U.S. service members sustained injuries from an explosion and were later transported to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for treatment.
As the U.S. continues counter-ISIS operations, it is also working with Iraq to conclude the formal mission of the U.S.-led coalition against ISIS, an effort ongoing since 2003. In September, U.S. and Iraqi officials reached an agreement to end this mission by next year, although no specific details have been provided regarding troop levels or the terms of withdrawal. The U.S. still has about 2,500 troops in Iraq, mainly for advisory and support roles.
