U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has confirmed that its forces carried out a raid in northern Syria on August 19, killing what it described as a senior ISIS member and key financier, the command stated.
The individual was said to have played a role in planning attacks in both Syria and Iraq and was connected to networks across the organisation. CENTCOM added that he posed a direct threat to U.S. and Coalition forces as well as to the Syrian Government.
Admiral Brad Cooper, Commander of U.S. Central Command, said in the release: “We will continue to pursue ISIS terrorists with unwavering determination, throughout the region. Together with our partners and allies, CENTCOM remains steadfast in our commitment of ensuring the lasting defeat of ISIS and the protection of the U.S. homeland.”
No further details were provided on the operation or the identity of the individual targeted.
CENTCOM is one of the eleven unified combatant commands of the U.S. military. It is headquartered at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida, and is responsible for operations in an area that includes the Middle East, parts of North Africa, and Central and South Asia. Its area of responsibility covers 21 nations and stretches from Egypt’s eastern border through the Persian Gulf to Kazakhstan.
The command’s stated mission is to direct and enable military operations with allies and partners to increase regional security and stability, deter adversaries, and support national objectives. It has been the lead U.S. command for military operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, and elsewhere in the region over the past several decades.
Since the territorial defeat of ISIS in Iraq and Syria, CENTCOM has continued to focus on preventing the group from re-establishing itself as a major threat. Raids and targeted strikes are presented by the command as a means of disrupting ISIS networks, leadership figures, and financial infrastructure.
According to CENTCOM, such actions are conducted in cooperation with regional and international partners in order to ensure what it calls the “enduring defeat” of the organisation.
