The story below downplays the fact, but the Islamic State is resurgent in Syria, as America’s global weakness becomes increasingly obvious. That’s not to say that there need to be more American troops in Syria. It’s to say that the policies of appeasement and of ignoring or denying the jihad threat only embolden the jihadis.
“4 US service members wounded in helicopter raid that killed ISIS leader in Syria,” by Luis Martinez, ABC News, February 17, 2023:
Four U.S. service members were wounded by an explosion during a helicopter raid in northeast Syria on Thursday night.
A senior ISIS leader who was killed in the mission set off the explosion, officials said.
“Last night, during a partnered U.S. and Syrian Democratic Forces helicopter raid in northeastern Syria, an explosion on target resulted in four U.S. service members and one working dog wounded,” said a statement from U.S. Central Command.
“The U.S. service members and working dog are receiving treatment in a U.S. medical facility in Iraq,” the statement said.
The ISIS leader who was targeted in the raid and who was killed was identified as Hamza al-Homsi who was described by CENTCOM as overseeing the group’s terrorist network in eastern Syria.
“The injuries to the US troops and working dog result from Hamza al-Homsi triggering an explosion on the target near Deir ez-zor, Syria,” said Col. Joe Buccino, the CENTCOM spokesman said.
“No other ISIS fighters were killed or captured on this target, however, a separate ISIS raid that same night resulted in the death of an ISIS assassination cell leader,” said Buccino. No civilians or Syrian Kurdish partner forces were injured in the incident according to Buccino.
Three of the service members are described as being in stable condition with the fourth already having returned to duty according to a U.S. official.
The condition of the working dog is also described as being stable, according to the official.
There are about 900 U.S. troops operating in northeastern Syria in areas controlled by Syrian Kurdish forces known as the Syrian Democratic Force and approximately 2,500 American troops still in Iraq.
The mission of the American troops in both countries remains partnering with local forces to counter the lingering threat posed by the Islamic State (ISIS) and prevent the group’s resurgence.
The terror group was militarily defeated in Syria in 2019 and since then, its leaders have gone into hiding to prevent being targeted by U.S. forces.
However, ISIS fighters maintain a low-level insurgency in Iraq and Syria, and the group continues to inspire followers in the West to commit violent attacks….
Keith O says
Note to Robert Spencer.
The dogs are an integral part of the unit and are treated by the troops as being one of the troops and a valued member of the team.
So when reporting casualties may I suggest something like, “5 troops, including working dog, wounded”?
࿗Infidel࿘ says
Wasn’t that raid islamophobic? I thought that this government was completely opposed to doing anything that could even remotely be construed as islamophobic!
John Smith says
Yes Infidel very islamophobic indeed. I also never thought for a moment that the Biden administration could behave in such an islamophobic manner.
Makes me wonder what the squad has to say about this deeply worrying situation.
john says
awesome…..
OLD GUY says
One down islamic terrorist, how many millions more are there? Maybe instead of military operations against the muslim/islamic countries, we just close our borders and cut off doing business with them. I don’t see how we can win a fight against terrorist and at the same time fund their countries with billions of dollars thru commercial trade, arms sales and foreign aid.
Western civilization needs to wake up to the fact that we are in a religious war with ISLAM. The muslim/islamic leadership want to dominate the world with their Ideology and dictatorship rule.
Close borders to the muslim/islamic migration invasion.
,
John Smith says
Yes Infidel very islamophobic indeed. I also never thought for a moment that the Biden administration could behave in such an islamophobic manner.
Makes me wonder what the squad has to say about this deeply worrying situation.