U.S. airstrike on Syria kills ISIS leader Abu Yusif

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U.S. airstrike kills ISIS leader Abu Yusif in Syria’s Deir ez-Zor Governorate on Dec. 19, marking a key operation targeting resurgent ISIS forces.
CENTCOM emphasizes ongoing efforts to prevent ISIS resurgence, highlighting concerns over ISIS’s desire to free its over 8,000 detained operatives in Syria.
U.S. troop presence in Syria doubled to approximately 2,000, including 900 core troops and 1,100 temporary rotational forces.
Increased airstrikes target ISIS in areas previously shielded by Syrian and Russian air defenses, with dozens conducted in recent weeks.
ISIS aims to reconstitute its caliphate, prompting aggressive U.S. military operations to disrupt its plans.

The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has confirmed that Islamic State (ISIS) leader Abu Yusif, also known as Mahmud, was killed in an airstrike conducted in Syria’s Deir ez-Zor Governorate on Thursday, Dec. 19.

The operation marks the latest in a series of strikes targeting resurgent jihadist and ISIS forces who have taken advantage of the power vacuum left behind by the ouster of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad and the transitional government in Damascus’ slow-moving efforts to reestablish control over Syria’s sparsely populated eastern regions, which includes Deir ez-Zor.

“On Dec. 19, U.S. Central Command Forces conducted a precision airstrike targeting ISIS leader Abu Yusif a.k.a. Mahmud in the Dayr az Zawr [Deir ez-Zor] Province, Syria resulting in two ISIS operatives killed, including Abu Yusif,” wrote CENTCOM in its announcement. “This airstrike is part of CENTCOM’s ongoing commitment, along with partners in the region, to disrupt and degrade efforts by terrorists to plan, organize and conduct attacks against civilians and military personnel from the U.S., our allies and our partners throughout the region and beyond.”

According to CENTCOM, the airstrike was carried out in an area formerly controlled by the Syrian regime and Russian forces.

Army Gen. Michael Kurilla, CENTCOM’s commander, emphasized the U.S. military’s ongoing efforts to prevent the resurgence of ISIS in Syria, particularly amid the recent political changes in the country.

Kurilla highlighted concerns about ISIS’s ambitions to free over 8,000 of its operatives currently detained in Syrian facilities, with most of them being detained in northeastern Syria in Rojava, a territory controlled by the U.S.-supported, Syrian Kurdish-led Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, which is being threatened by Turkish military operations. (Related: Sen. Lindsey Graham threatens sanctions against Turkey if it proceeds with military operations against Syrian Democratic Forces.)

“ISIS has the intent to break out of detention the over 8,000 ISIS operatives currently being held in facilities in Syria,” said Kurilla. “We will aggressively target these leaders and operatives, including those trying to conduct operations external to Syria.”

U.S. increasing military operations in Syria to prevent ISIS resurgence

CENTCOM expressed how ISIS and other affiliated jihadist groups in Syria who were previously shielded by Syrian and Russian air defenses are now being targeted by U.S. forces.

CENTCOM has conducted dozens of strikes in recent weeks, including a series of operations on Dec. 8, when opposition groups took control of Damascus. U.S. strikes targeted 75 ISIS targets in central Syria who were attempting to reconstitute the failed caliphate.

The latest airstrike follows the Pentagon’s announcement that the U.S. troop presence in Syria has doubled this year.

Previously, the U.S. had maintained approximately 900 military personnel in the country as part of international efforts to combat ISIS. A recent statement by Pentagon spokesperson Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder revealed that there are now approximately 2,000 U.S. troops in Syria.

Ryder claims there have been around 2,000 troops in place for at least the past few months. He clarified that the increase includes 900 “core” troops on longer-term deployments to Syria and an additional 1,100 “temporary rotational forces” deployed to the country for shorter durations to meet operational requirements.

Watch this episode of “Antiwar News with Dave DeCamp” discussing America’s anti-ISIS bombing campaign in Syria.

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