WASHINGTON: The US has said that the mission to defeat the terror organisation ISIS in Syria is under way and aimed at preventing the armed group from re-establishing a base in the country.
The 53-year rule of the Assad family ended on Sunday when President Bashar al-Assad fled Syria amid an uprising and was given asylum in Russia.
The US Department of Defence Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh gave the details at a press briefing on Monday in US.
Singh said, “We have continued the mission to prevent ISIS from re-establishing a safe haven in Syria.”
The US Central Command forces, headquartered at Bahrain, conducted dozens of precision airstrikes within Syria, targeting ISIS camps and operatives in the Badiya desert to prevent ISIS from conducting external operations and to ensure that they can’t take advantage of the current situation to reconstitute in central Syria, Singh added.
She said the operation struck over 75 targets using multiple US Air Force assets, including B-52 bombers and fighter jets F-15.
“The central command, together with allies and partners in the region will continue to carry out operations to degrade ISIS capabilities even during this dynamic period in Syria,” Singh said.
The US military in Syria is to counter ISIS and to support the Syrian Democratic Forces to ensure that ISIS can never reestablish a safe haven there, Singh added.
Meanwhile, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with his Turkish counterpart, Minister of National Defence Yasar Guler, on Monday to discuss developments in Syria.
The US Department of Defence said, “Secretary Austin emphasized that the United States is watching closely the statements and actions of the various opposition groups in Syria”.
They discussed a range of topics including steps to protect civilians, escalation management, management of risk to US forces and partners, and the defeat ISIS.
A summary of the discussion provided by Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said, “Both leaders agreed that the opposition groups must take steps to protect civilians, including ethnic and religious minorities, and follow international humanitarian norms”.
Both have mentioned about the importance of close coordination between the United States and Turkey to prevent further escalation of an already volatile situation, the summary said.