US Says It Conducted 94 Missions Against ISIS in Iraq and Syria This Year

The Iraqi government has said it can handle ISIS without the US and the Syrian government opposes the US occupation of its territory

According to US Central Command (CENTCOM), the US and its partner forces in Iraq and Syria conducted 94 operations against ISIS in the first three months of this year.

CENTCOM said it was involved in 66 operations with Iraqi government forces in Iraq and 28 operations with the Kurdish-led SDF in Syria. The missions resulted in the killing of 18 alleged ISIS operatives and the detainment of 63.

ISIS holds no significant territory in either Iraq or Syria, and remnants of the group operate in rural areas. The fight against ISIS is what the US uses as its excuse to stay in both countries, but the presence is more about countering Iran and its allies.

According to the latest numbers, the US has about 2,500 troops in Iraq and 900 in Syria.

The update on US operations against ISIS comes after Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani called for the US to leave his country and said Iraqi security forces can handle ISIS remnants on their own. The US entered talks with al-Sudani’s government about a potential withdrawal but appears determined to stay in the country.

In Syria, the government is opposed to the US presence, making it an illegal military occupation. By backing the SDF, the US is able to control about one-third of Syria’s territory, an area where most of the country’s vital oil and gas fields are located. The US also maintains crippling economic sanctions on Syria specifically designed to prevent reconstruction.

Author: Dave DeCamp

Dave DeCamp is the news editor of Antiwar.com, follow him on Twitter @decampdave.