AIR FORCE HELICOPTER CREW RESCUES FEMALE HIKER – The 943rd Rescue Group had to use night vision goggles to rescue a severely injured hiker. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Kevin J. Gruenwald/Released)
Four United States servicemembers and a working dog were wounded during a helicopter raid in Syria’s northeastern region, the U.S. Central Command announced on February 17.
In an initial statement, the command said that the raid, which was carried out on February 16 in cooperation with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), targeted a senior leader of ISIS.
“The targeted ISIS senior leader, Hamza al-Homsi, was killed. The U.S. servicemembers and working dog are receiving treatment in a U.S. medical facility in Iraq,” the statement reads.
CENTCOM said in a later statement that the four servicemembers and the working dog were wounded when al-Homsi triggered an explosion after being cornered at his hideout in the governorate of Deir Ezzor. According to the statement, al-Homsi oversaw a “deadly terrorist network” of ISIS in eastern Syria before he was killed in the raid.
“The U.S. servicemembers and working dog are in stable condition,” the command said.
The command added that an ISIS assassination cell leader was eliminated in a separate raid in northeastern Syria that also took place on February 16.
This was the first time the U.S. has sustained casualties in northeastern Syria since last August. Back then, three servicemembers were wounded as a result of a rocket attack that targeted a coalition base at the Conoco gas plant in Deir Ezzor. The attack was blamed on armed factions backed by Iran.
The U.S. maintains some 900 troops in Syria. Most of them are deployed at key oil and gas fields in the northeastern region.
With the start of the year, the coalition stepped up its counter-terrorism operations in the region in cooperation with the SDF. However, ISIS insurgency is still going strong. The main purpose of the recent operations was likely to justify U.S. presence in Syria for the long term.
GOing to be odd because alot of the hardended ISIS fighters are embittered Psychopaths. Islamic State failed in an intense but sometimes glorious conflict. I wouldn’t call them traitors but they are a remnant. Their supplies and intelligence gathering are murky. I won’t go into the millenarian aspect but they’ll be more active after the quake. They are too wreckless, ruthless and scattered to actually help anyone in the areas they control. Capture for intelligence and forensics on bodies might tell you. The trasnational angle complicates things. Islamic foreign brigades need to be traced to the recruiters. Legitimizing them like Alqaeda sort of went might help but fundamentally its about the social training. Economic crash and poor social policy will give them tens if not hundreds of millions of possible recruits across the Islamic world.
SOmething to consider. Ismailli tactics were akin to terroism during the crusades but also operated like bandits, vigilantes and assasins in a complex sectarian conflict; Hardcore elements may have actually moved to a level where economic gain is irrelevant. The idea that they are actually borderline insane and hyper volatile now should change calculations.
The more the better.
I wish the dog a 100% recovery.
Karma comes back to bite the US. They armed and financed ISIS as they armed and financed the Taliban. Now both are out of control. Pity the dog got hurt. Let’s send him a get well soon card.
Nope, faggy muzlim. ISIS was created by Turkey and Saudis. It was financed by stealing Syrian oil and trucking it to Turkey and Iraq.
Saudis only. But several other regimes, like the ones in Turkey, Iran, and Assadists and Saddamists have played with them in the past.
Usa army never killed .. always wounded only.. dog too. Hhheerhheh. Comedy.
Always dead never said poor usa army.
Ya right!!! Just like they told us it was Bin Laudin and Middle Eastern terrorists that flew into the towers and the picture ID showed up on the ground. US liars lie, if their lips are moving?
Americans still keep up the notion that they are fighting terroists when they are the terrorists.
The more, the better.