US Special Forces Carry Out Rare Raid Against Senior ISIS Official In Syria

A rare raid in Syria in territory held by dictator Bashar al-Assad's regime was carried out by U.S. forces, who targeted the Islamic State of Iraq (ISIS) terror group.

The U.S. military's Central Command (CENTCOM) only confirmed that American forces had conducted a raid in northeast Syria. They targeted a "senior" ISIS official, reported CBS News.

A U.S. official said that the raid involved U.S. special operations forces. They swept in by helicopter. The official shared that one person was killed and another injured.

CENTCOM said in a statement on Thursday that the U.S. forces carried out the raid in Syria “near the village of Qamishli, targeting Rakkan Wahid al-Shammri." He is an ISIS official known to "facilitate the smuggling of weapons and fighters to support ISIS operations." CENTCOM said that Al-Shammri was killed and one of his associates was wounded. Two others were detained by U.S. forces. According to Al Jazeera, no civilians or U.S. forces were killed or wounded in the raid.

The raid happened in an area of Hassakeh province “in the village of Muluk Saray in the southern countryside of Qamishli." It is partly held by government forces and partly by Kurdish fighters, who are backed by the U.S.

Al Arabiya News reported that the U.S. has carried out previous raids in Syria against members of ISIS. But the one that happened on Thursday would be the first known operation in a zone that is held by forces who are loyal to Al-Assad. According to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, it is the "first time” that U.S. forces have conducted such an operation in regime-held areas.

Three U.S. helicopters carrying soldiers landed in the village after midnight, said a resident. The person shared that the residents were told by loudspeaker to stay indoors and keep their lights off. The source said that the raid lasted several hours. No exchange of fire with U.S. troops took place.

The U.S. operation was the latest effort by America to clamp down on ISIS jihadists who have been territorially defeated. Still they manage to plan and carry out attacks in Syria and neighboring Iraq.