US announces airstrikes on ISIL targets in Syria after fall of al-Assad | Conflict Matters

The US Central Command says it has attacked more than 75 targets to ensure that the armed group does not exploit the end of the Syrian leader’s rule.

The United States says it has carried out a number of airstrikes against ISIL (ISIS) targets in Syria following the dramatic fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Sunday it hit more than 75 targets, including ISIL (ISIS) leaders, organizations and camps, to ensure that the armed group does not take advantage of the end of al-Assad’s rule.

CENTCOM said it will assess the damage following the strikes affecting warplanes including Boeing B-52 Stratofortress and McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle, but there are no indications of casualties.

“There should be no doubt – we will not allow ISIS to regroup and exploit the status quo in Syria,” CENTCOM Commander General Michael Erik Kurilla said in a statement.

“All Syrian organizations should know that we will hold them accountable if they cooperate with or support ISIS in any way.”

The strikes came as outgoing US President Joe Biden described the fall of al-Assad as a “moment of danger” and a “historic opportunity”.

In a televised speech from the White House, Biden said the fall of al-Assad at the hands of the rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) was an opportunity for the long-suffering Syrian people to “build a better future for their proud country”.

“It is also a time of risk and uncertainty. As we all turn to the question of what comes next, the United States will work with our partners and stakeholders in Syria to help them take advantage of the risk,” Biden said.

Seeking to take a little credit for the fall of al-Assad, Biden said his death was caused by declining support for the government of Russia, Iran and Hezbollah.

“For years, Assad’s biggest supporters have been Iran, Hezbollah and Russia. But last week, their support went down — all three — because all three are much weaker today than when I took office,” Biden said.

The sudden end of the 53-year rule of the al-Assad family has created uncertainty about the security situation in the Middle East, including the presence of approximately 900 US troops in Syria.

US President-elect Donald Trump, who ordered the number of US troops in Syria to be cut in half during his first term after withdrawing from a full withdrawal, said on Saturday that his administration would not get involved in any conflicts in the country.

“Syria is a mess, but it is not our friend,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, before switching to all caps for emphasis.

“THE UNITED STATES SHOULD NOT BE INVOLVED IN IT. THIS IS NOT OUR WAR. PLAY IT. DON’T MISS YOURSELF!”

In his first public appearance since taking over Damascus, HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Julani, the former leader of al-Qaeda’s Syrian branch, described the fall of al-Assad as an opportunity to turn Syria into “the beacon of the Islamic nation” again. the beginning of a “new history” of the region.

“God will not fail you,” al-Julani said in a victory speech at the Umayyad Mosque in the Syrian capital.

“This victory belongs to all the people of Aram; they were all part of this victory.”