About 700 ISIS militants killed in 2022 in US-led operations in Iraq and Syria

Middle East, News, US January 15, 2023 , by IRIA No Comments

United States Central Command conducted 313 operations in Iraq and Syria in 2022 as part of its mission to defeat the Islamic State (ISIS) terrorist group in Iraq and Syria. About 700 ISIS militants were killed in operations.

According to the U.S. Department of Defense, nearly 700 ISIS fighters were killed and another 374 were detained in U.S.-led operations in Iraq and Syria, while none of the U.S. service members were killed in those missions.

The Pentagon statement highlighted that “More than 95% of those operations were in partnership with either the Iraqi Security Force or the Syrian Democratic Forces.”

U.S. Department of Defense Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Middle East, Dana Stroul said, “This really speaks to the professionalism of our men and women in uniform and also the enduring commitment of the United States—from the strategic all the way down to the tactical level—to completing this fight.”

The deputy assistant secretary of defense said during a press conference that the U.S. mission to defeat the ISIS group in Iraq and Syria remains “a key priority of the national defense strategy.”

She added that senior leaders in Washington are closely following the U.S. the progress of counterterrorism operations to eliminate ISIS. Stroul stressed that “despite successes, ISIS remains a threat, and there is still more work to be done.”

*^{U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Kyle Grover leads a group of soldiers to the top of a hill, at Al Asad Air Base, Iraq, on November 18, 2022. (Image Credit: U.S. Army Sgt. Julio Hernandez)}*

Stroul applauded the U.S. and its partner’s efforts in the fight against ISIS and said, “What was striking to me is the enduring commitment not only of the United States but of our European partners, as well as New Zealand, Australia, and others. Our partners across the world recognize the importance of this mission, recognize that ISIS still remains a threat, and are committed to this coalition.”

The United States continues its presence in Iraq to advise and assist Iraqi forces and conduct intelligence-sharing missions. Commander of Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve, U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Matthew McFarlane highlighted that the U.S. continues to retain a presence in Iraq, at the invitation of the Iraqi government.

According to Major General Matthew McFarlane, “In Iraq, things continue to improve in terms of their ability to demonstrate and actually execute independent operations as they’re building capabilities, capacity, and competence towards gaining an independent ability to conduct enduring operations… against ISIS.”

*^{U.S. Army soldiers firing M777 Howitzer during an operational rehearsal exercise at Mission Support Site Conoco, Syria, on December 4, 2022. (Image Credit: U.S. Army Sgt. Julio Hernandez)}*

In Syria, the United States and its partners have detained “as many as 10,000” ISIS members, who are in the custody of Syrian Democratic Forces in northeast Syria.

Stroul said that “Not only are U.S. forces continuing to prosecute unilateral operations against ISIS, but we maintain a robust pace of partnered operations with the SDF [Syrian Democratic Forces], who are the only combat-credible, capable and committed partner present in northeast Syria today willing to join us in this fight.”