Uncommon U.S. raid in Syrian gov’t-held zone kills Islamic State arms smuggler By Reuters

By Orhan Qereman, Suleiman Al-Khalidi and Phil Stewart

QAMISHLI, Syria (Reuters) -A uncommon U.S. helicopter raid on a government-held village in Syria’s northeast killed an Islamic State militant hiding on the market and a separate U.S. air strike in a while Thursday killed two others, the U.S. army mentioned.

America has carried out earlier raids in Syria towards members of Islamic State, however Thursday’s could be the primary recognized operation towards the group in a zone held by forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad.

Early on Thursday, U.S. particular forces carried out the uncommon operation on the government-held village of Muluk Saray within the northeastern province of Hasakeh, Syrian state tv mentioned in its Telegram channel.

The U.S. army’s Central Command mentioned the goal was Rakkan Wahid al-Shammri, an Islamic State member “recognized to facilitate the smuggling of weapons and fighters.” It mentioned he was killed in the course of the operation, whereas considered one of his associates was wounded and two others detained by U.S. forces.

“No U.S. forces had been injured or killed in the course of the operation, no civilians had been killed or wounded, and there was no loss or harm to U.S. gear,” mentioned the Florida-based Central Command, which oversees American troops within the Center East.

It didn’t specify the exact location of the raid, describing it solely as close to the village of Qamishli, which is positioned at Syria’s border with Turkey.

Central Command in a while Thursday mentioned a separate U.S. air strike at 6:32 pm (1532 GMT) in northern Syria killed an Islamic State chief it named as Abu-Hashum al-Umawi and one other senior member of the group it mentioned was related to him.

‘PEOPLE THOUGHT HE WAS A SHEPHERD’

A safety supply mentioned the person who was killed within the earlier U.S. raid was answerable for coordinating Islamic State sleeper cells within the space.

“This operation goals to broaden the scope of focusing on this organisation’s members throughout totally different components of Syria,” the supply added.

The second safety supply mentioned U.S. forces had taken his physique with them as they retreated.

A neighborhood supply mentioned the person had moved to the village of Muluk Saray in recent times from Taif, a city close to the border with Iraq that was as soon as an Islamic State stronghold.

“Individuals thought he was a shepherd – nobody is aware of his true identification,” mentioned the supply.

The native supply mentioned U.S. forces additionally raided a constructing utilized by Syrian safety and detained “a number of folks” there.

Different residents of the world confirmed the raid to Reuters.

One mentioned that U.S. helicopters landed within the village after midnight and informed residents by loudspeaker to remain indoors and preserve their lights off. The resident mentioned the operation lasted a number of hours and that there was no alternate of fireside with the U.S. troops.