US-led strikes in Syria kill or seize about 25 ISIL fighters in nine days

Operations

US Central Command (CENTCOM) said it killed at least seven ISIL fighters and captured the rest of roughly 25 militants during 11 missions conducted between Dec. 20-29 in Syria. The campaign followed the Dec. 13 killing of two US soldiers and a civilian interpreter by an ISIL gunman and came after large-scale strikes on Dec. 19 that CENTCOM said hit 70 targets with more than 100 precision munitions. The operations also destroyed four weapons caches and were conducted in coordination with Jordanian forces; CENTCOM did not release the identities of those targeted.

Wider context

The strikes come as US troop levels in Syria have fallen from about 2,000 at the height of the campaign to roughly 1,000, with further reductions announced by the Trump administration. Washington continues to work with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces and, increasingly, with Syria’s new government after President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s recent White House visit; CENTCOM emphasized it will continue hunting ISIL remnants to prevent a resurgence. The report also noted broader Syrian security strains, including clashes between government forces and the SDF and Damascus’ complaints about Israeli activity in the south, amid shifting US policy focus, as reported by Al Jazeera