CENTCOM Reports Death of Coalition Force in Attacks Against ISIS in Iraq

The U.S. military reported several operations against ISIS in Syria and Iraq over the past week, announcing that during the attacks in Iraq, one coalition soldier was killed and two others were injured. In a statement released by the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) on Monday evening, January 7, it did not specify the nationality of the three coalition forces, only stating that U.S. forces were not harmed. According to CENTCOM, the operations in Iraq, conducted from January 1 to January 7 alongside local forces, targeted ISIS positions in the Hamrin Mountains of Iraq. CENTCOM stated that these operations aimed to disrupt and reduce ISIS's ability to plan, organize, and execute attacks against civilians in the region, as well as U.S. citizens, allies, and partners in the area and beyond. The statement noted that during these operations, ISIS fighters attacked coalition forces multiple times, prompting the coalition to use F-16, F-15, and A-10 aircraft. According to U.S. Central Command, the A-10 aircraft, which were deployed to support ground forces in the region, successfully eliminated several ISIS fighters inside a cave. CENTCOM also referred to details of operations in Syria, stating that the Syrian Democratic Forces conducted attacks in Deir ez-Zor on January 3 and 4, leading to the capture of the leader of one of ISIS's operational groups. U.S. officials have warned in recent weeks that remnants of ISIS are seeking to regain power by exploiting the situation following the fall of Bashar al-Assad in Syria. About three weeks ago, CENTCOM reported that its forces killed several ISIS operatives, including the leader of the group in Deir ez-Zor, Syria, in an airstrike. The extremist group ISIS, recognized as a terrorist organization by many countries, seized large areas of Iraq and then eastern Syria in 2014. After several years of fighting, in which the U.S.-led international coalition played a significant role, the coalition severely isolated ISIS in 2017 and eliminated the group's control over occupied areas in Iraq in 2019.