Over 30 ISIS leaders eliminated in Iraq and Syria: CENTCOM
Shafaq News/ The US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced, on Tuesday, that it has successfully eliminated more than 30 ISIS leaders in Iraq and Syria since August 29, as part of an ongoing campaign aimed at weakening the group’s operational infrastructure and capabilities in the region.
“…in partnership with security forces in Iraq and Syria, US Central Command (USCENTCOM) conducted 95 Defeat ISIS (D-ISIS) operations, some of which included unilateral strikes in Syria. These operations resulted in 163 terrorists killed and 33 captured, including over 30 senior and mid-level ISIS leaders.” A statement said.
The operations also resulted in the seizure of “significant enemy material that could aid in future disruptions.”
"Alongside our coalition and Iraqi partners, we will continue to aggressively pursue these terrorists and disrupt their capability to conduct operations against U.S. interests, as well as those of our allies and partners," said Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, commander of U.S. Central Command.
In 2014, ISIS seized control of extensive areas in Iraq and Syria, with its leader at the time, Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi, proclaiming an Islamic caliphate that spanned territories inhabited by millions of people. The caliphate was declared in the Great Mosque of al-Nuri in the city of Mosul, the center of Nineveh province.
Despite its territorial defeat in 2017, ISIS remains a significant threat in Iraq, employing insurgency tactics and targeting security forces. The group has adapted by forming small, elusive units that operate in remote and rugged terrain.
