CENTCOM Reports the Arrest of a ISIS Leader in Syria

The United States Central Command, CENTCOM, announced that American forces, with the support of the Syrian Democratic Forces, have arrested a leader of the Islamic State group known as ISIS. The CENTCOM statement released on Monday evening, September 12, mentioned the name of this ISIS official as Khalid Ahmad al-Dandal, stating that according to Pentagon assessments, he had assisted ISIS members after their escape from a detention facility in Raqqa, Syria. According to the statement, CENTCOM and the Syrian Democratic Forces arrested Khalid al-Dandal in the early hours of Sunday, September 11. The escape of five ISIS members from the Raqqa detention facility occurred on Thursday, September 8, and these five militants included two Russian citizens, two Afghan nationals, and one Libyan. CENTCOM reported that two of these militants, Imam Abdul Wahid Ikhwan (Russian) and Muhammad Nouh Muhammad (Libyan), were captured by U.S.-allied Kurdish forces, and extensive efforts are underway to apprehend the remaining three. The U.S. military emphasized that one of ISIS's primary goals in the current situation is to free detained militants in order to revive the group with their assistance. Currently, more than 9,000 ISIS members are held in over 20 detention facilities of the Syrian Democratic Forces, which CENTCOM describes as equivalent to 'an army', and their escape poses a significant threat to the region and beyond. General Michael Eric Kurilla, the commander of CENTCOM, stated, 'We will continue to work with the international community to repatriate these ISIS militants for final prosecution in their home countries.' CENTCOM ultimately assured that it remains committed to supporting the Syrian Democratic Forces to permanently defeat ISIS and enhance stability in the region.