US forces capture two ISIS members in Syria

U.S. forces conducted a raid in eastern Syria over the weekend and captured two members of ISIS described as facilitators.

Saturday’s helicopter and ground assault raid left one civilian with minor injuries, but the person was escorted to a medical facility and was treated before being released back to his family, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said.

The captured ISIS members are Abdallah Hamid Muslih al-Maddad, who is also known as Abu Hamza al-Suri, and Husam Hamid al-Muslih al-Maddad, al-Khayr. Both are described as ISIS facilitators.

Col. Joe Buccino, a CENTCOM spokesperson, said “this operation reaffirms CENTCOM’s steadfast commitment to the region and the enduring defeat of ISIS.”

“The capture will disrupt the terrorist organization’s ability to further plot and carry out attacks that threaten regional security and stability,” Buccino said in a statement.

The raid came a day after three suicide drones struck a U.S. base in Syria, injuring two Syrian fighters working with the U.S. in the Middle Eastern country.

In late December, the U.S. also led three separate raids that captured six ISIS members across eastern Syria, including a senior ISIS official.

ISIS has lost much of its territory since the U.S. began combating the group in 2014 but still maintains a loose presence, including in eastern Syria.

Last year, the U.S. conducted 313 operations in Iraq and Syria along with partnering fighters from the Iraqi Security Force and the Syrian Democratic Forces, according to the Defense Department.

In 2022, nearly 700 ISIS fighters were killed and 374 were detained, with no American troop casualties.

Buccino said in his statement that “ISIS represents a threat to our partners and to the people of Iraq and Syria and beyond.”

“Our mission to defeat ISIS alongside our Syrian Democratic Forces partners continues,” he said.