44 ISIS members killed in first half of 2024 – CENTCOM
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – The United States Central Command (USCENTCOM) said on Wednesday that 44 members of the Islamic State (ISIS) were killed and 166 others were detained in the first half of 2024.
The CENTCOM announced in a statement that they, along with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Iraqi Security Forces, conducted 196 operations against ISIS in both Syria and Iraq from January to June 2024.
The operations resulted in the killing of 44 ISIS members and the detention of 166 others, the CENTCOM added.
Meanwhile, ISIS claimed 153 attacks in Syria and Iraq, the CENTCOM noted, adding, “At this rate, ISIS is on pace to more than double the total number of attacks they claimed in 2023.”
“The increase in attacks indicates ISIS is attempting to reconstitute following several years of decreased capability.”
In Syria, the CENTCOM and the SDF conducted 59 operations that resulted in the killing of 14 ISIS members and the detention of 92 others.
In Iraq, the CENTCOM and the Iraqi Security Forces conducted 137 operations that resulted in the killing of 30 ISIS members and the detention of 74 others.
The CENTCOM pointed out that the six-month-long operations resulted in the killing of eight senior ISIS leaders and the capturing of 32 others in both Syria and Iraq.
“These leaders include those responsible for planning of operations outside of Syria and Iraq, recruiting, training, and weapons smuggling,” the CENTCOM noted.
The indicated that the continued operations against the approximately 2,500 ISIS fighters at large across Syria and Iraq is a critical component to the enduring defeat of ISIS.
It noted to the importance of the continued international efforts to repatriate more than 9,000 ISIS detainees in detention facilities in Northeast Syria.
The CENTCOM reiterated the necessity of the repatriation, rehabilitation, and reintegration of more than 43,000 individuals and families from Hawl and Roj camps. “This is down from the peak of over 70,000 in 2019.”
“The global enduring defeat of ISIS relies on combined efforts of the Coalition and partners to remove key leaders from the battlefield and the repatriation, rehabilitation, and reintegration of families from Al Hol and Al Roj,” said Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, commander of U.S. Central Command.
“We continue to focus our efforts on specifically targeting those members of ISIS who are seeking to conduct external operations outside of Iraq and Syria and those ISIS members attempting to break out ISIS members in detention in an attempt to reconstitute their forces,” Kurilla added.