13 killed in US invasion of northwestern Syria + Video

Thursday 3 February 2022 - 13:38

https://english.iswnews.com/?p=22709

ISWNews Analysis Group: At least 13 people have been killed during a US-led operation in the Atmah area near the Turkish border in northwestern Syria’s Idlib province.

At around 1 a.m. on February 3, US Special Forces surrounded a house on the outskirts of the town of Atmah in Idlib province, near the Turkish border, during an air drop operation, sparking heavy fighting between US troops and the militants. Finally, after hours of fighting, US troops left the area. The operation was backed by several attack helicopters, combat drones and warplanes.

During the operation, a US helicopter also had a technical problem and was destroyed by US forces. After the operation, US helicopters entered Turkish territory. This reflected the full intelligence and military cooperation of Turkey and the United States during the operation.

According to local sources, the US military operation met with heavy resistance from the militants, and the clashes lasted for three hours, with the possibility of casualties among US forces.

Following the operation, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said in a statement that US Special Operations Forces, under the control of US Central Command, had carried out a counter-terrorism mission against a prominent terrorist in northwestern Syria. The mission was successful and there were no casualties for US troops.

US President Joseph Biden will also address the operation.

Biden: ISIS leader killed by US attack in Syria

The Pentagon has said that the target of the operation was a terrorist commander in Syria, but released images show that at least 13 people, including four women and six children, were killed in the attack.

It should be noted that the operation and the amount of support was similar to the US operation on October 26, 2019 to assassinate ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in the village of Barisha in the Syrian province of Idlib. The city of Atma is located 24 kilometers from the place where Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was killed.

No details have been released about the man killed by the United States. But it is possible that the operation was carried out to assassinate high-ranking commanders of Tahrir al-Sham or ISIS.