US Raid Kills Three ISIS Fighters in Syria, Captures Two

Raid targeted a house in Deir Ezzor

It may undercut President Biden’s claim that the US is not at war for the first time in 20 years, but officials are reporting a combat raid on Sunday targeting an ISIS-held house in Deir Ezzor, Syria.

Details are still emerging, but officials say three ISIS militants were killed, and two others captured in the operation. US officials released a photo of a Bradley IFV involved in the raid.

Direct combat operations in eastern Syria are rare for the US, and the troops remaining are there primarily to guard/control the oilfields. This is, however, not the only ISIS raid in recent days.

In fact, officials reported a second raid that captured three in eastern Syria just days prior to this raid, and the week before, reported a “non-combat” operation aimed at detentions.

US forces participated heavily in the defeat of the ISIS caliphate. Since then, ISIS has been trying to reform, with many of its troops remaining in and around the deserts in the area. So far this has led to fighting, but no serious sign of recovery for ISIS.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.