US Military Carries Out Successful Counterterrorism Mission In Syria
By Donald Standeford, Correspondent - Follow -
Date Published: February 3, 2022 06:30PM UTC
Last Modified: February 3, 2022 06:30PM UTC
PENTAGON - The Pentagon has said that the U.S. Military has carried out a 'successful' counterterrorism mission in northwest Syria, but did not provide much in the way of details, though earlier reports of the raid piece together what happened.
Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby stated, "U.S. Special Operations forces under the control of U.S. Central Command conducted a counterterrorism mission this evening in northwest Syria. The mission was successful. There were no U.S. casualties. More information will be provided as it becomes available".
No information was provided about who the target of the counterterrism mission was, whether helicopters were involved or whether there were any civilian casualties as was reported on the ground by witnesses of the event.
The raid was reportedly carried out at around midnight and targeted a suspected Jihadist affiliated with the al Qaeda terrorist organization. One resident living in Atmeh told Reuters that at least 12 people had been killed in the densely populated area that is located near the Turkish border where thousands of displaced Syrians currently reside in improvised camps and housing that is over capacity.
Residents in the area said that they heard heavy gunfire while the raid was taking place and videos making the rounds on social media also allegedly captured the sound of heavy gunfire from gunships during the operation.
There were reports that the operation lasted several hours and the mission was deemed 'successful' afterword. The suspect was with his family at the time the raid was carried out according to Reuters.
Reports stated that U.S. helicopter gunships are firing on a target in the Jinderes area of Afrin. The reports say that it is a possible SOF raid targeting Tauqir Sharif, a former UK citizen in the Atmeh area of Idlib.
Kurdish journalist from Syria Hoshang Hasan reported that local sources told him the helicopters made an air drop in the area between Deir Ballut and Atme, north of Idlib. He also reported that the helicopters landed in Lavarj factory near Kobani and that many jets and drones are flying over Idlib and Afrin at the moment .
