US hits ISIS camps in Syria, killing nearly 3 dozen terrorists

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) on Wednesday said its forces in the Middle East conducted a ‘series of strikes’ on several ISIS locations in Syria earlier this week in an operation that killed up to 35 terrorists. 

The operation, which targeted multiple camps across Syria on Monday evening, also successfully took out ‘multiple’ senior ISIS leaders, confirmed CENTCOM.

The release also confirmed that no civilian casualties have been ‘indicated’ in the sweeping strikes. 

‘The airstrikes will disrupt the ability of ISIS to plan, organize, and conduct attacks against civilians, as well as U.S., allies, and partners throughout the region and beyond,’ the command said in a release. ‘CENTCOM, alongside allies and partners in the region, will continue to aggressively degrade ISIS operational capabilities to ensure its enduring defeat.’

The announcement comes one week after two U.S. service members were injured in Iraq during an operation that targeted and killed at least seven ISIS operatives.

The American service members were reported to be in stable condition. 

While ISIS remains a major security concern in Iraq and Syria, it does not pose the same level of threat that it did 10 years ago. Though concern mounted earlier this year following reports that the U.S. may be looking to pull its troops out of the country as soon as 2025.

U.S. soldiers have been fighting ISIS alongside coalition forces in Iraq and Syria since the terrorist group first emerged in 2014. 

Less than 1,000 U.S. troops remain in Syria while roughly 2,500 remain in Iraq.

Last month, the Pentagon said that it plans to change its ‘footprint’ in Iraq in 2025, but it refused to detail what that means in regard to the number of troops that will remain.

U.S. and Iraqi coalition forces will also continue to support anti-ISIS efforts in Syria as Washington works with Baghdad to determine future steps for U.S. troops fighting the terrorist network in the region.