Latest news with #OperationInherentResolve
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
US leaves Syrian base where American troops fought Wagner mercenaries
U.S. troops have withdrawn from the outpost in Syria where a handful of American special operators and Marines fought off an assault by Russian mercenaries in 2018, a battle in which the American troops left a force 10 times their size scattered across the desert battlefield. The end of the U.S. presence at Mission Support Site Euphrates came as part of a wider drawdown in Syria in May, with American troops withdrawing from multiple bases used in the fight against ISIS, according to a new quarterly report from the Department of Defense's Office of Inspector General on Operation Inherent Resolve. Mission Support Site Euphrates is an outpost on the eastern banks of the Euphrates River in Khasham, Deir ez-Zor province. In 2018, a small group of U.S. troops and Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF, were at the base, along a line of demarcation along the Euphrates River meant to help avoid conflict with Russian military elements backing the Assad regime. But in February 2018, the outpost was attacked by a force of roughly 500 pro-regime forces. That included members of the Russian mercenary firm the Wagner Group. What ensued over the subsequent hours came to be known as the Battle of Khasham, or Battle of the Conoco Fields. U.S. Army Green Berets and Delta Force soldiers, Air Force Combat Controllers and Marines held the outpost as American war planes and helicopters poured bombs and rockets onto the Russian and Syrian troops. The Department of Defense — as well as the Wagner Group and the now-deposed Assad regime — have been historically tight-lipped about the events of the battle in the years since, although some details have come out. One of the most revealing reports came from the citation for an Air Force Cross given in 2020 to an Air Force combat controller who participated in the fight. On Feb. 7, 2018, 'a professionally trained and technically proficient combined arms enemy assault comprised of main battle tanks, armored personnel carriers, heavy artillery tubes and a battalion of infantry soldiers' advanced across the river and attacked the outpost. Roughly 30 American special operations forces were there with Kurdish SDF fighters. When Delta Force soldiers and Army Rangers at the outpost came under attack, a platoon-sized force of Marines and Green Berets were about 20 miles away and began making their way toward the fight. But it took them far longer to get to the outpost than they imagined, in part due to poor visibility and damaged roads. Meanwhile, the combat controller called in air support, which arrived in force, with several fighter jets, drones, helicopters and AC-130 gunships pummeling the assaulting enemy. No Americans were harmed and several hundred attackers were killed. Leaked audio recordings from the Wagner Group painted a blunt picture of the battle. 'To make it short, we've had our fucking asses kicked,' one Wagner mercenary was recorded saying. Top Stories This Week News The Marine Corps is looking for 'volunteers' to leave the service early The Marine Corps is looking for 'volunteers' to leave the service early By Patty Nieberg News South Korea tours will now be a year longer as Army cuts down on moves South Korea tours will now be a year longer as Army cuts down on moves By Patty Nieberg Tech & Tactics 'Brutality over precision' — What the Army is learning from Russia in Ukraine 'Brutality over precision' — What the Army is learning from Russia in Ukraine By Kyle Gunn The United States military is currently in the process of reducing its presence in Syria down from roughly 2,000 troops to 1,000. According to the report on the progress of Operation Inherent Resolve, U.S. forces either dismantled and closed the bases or handed them over to the SDF. It's unclear if Mission Support Site Euphrates was closed or handed over. American troops remain active in Deir ez-Zor, with the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a nonprofit monitoring group, reporting frequent exercises with SDF forces in the region in recent weeks. The Deir ez-Zor base has been a frequent target of militants since the Battle of Khasham, taking small mortar and rocket fire from pro-Assad groups over the years. CENTCOM reported in late 2024 that it had been attacked several dozen times since October 2023. American forces have remained focused on ISIS in Syria in recent years, even as the Assad regime was toppled by rebel forces led by Ahmed al-Sharaa in December 2024 after more than a decade of civil war. The U.S. did take advantage of the collapse of the Assad regime to launch major airstrikes on ISIS in central Syria that month. The U.S. has maintained a presence in the northeast of Syria, which is largely under SDF control. Despite the drawdown, U.S. troops remain active in Syria, carrying out operations against ISIS in the country. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has tracked several raids against militants, including ones that killed a senior ISIS leader in Aleppo. According to the report, the troop reduction in the country is not the end of Operation Inherent Resolve in Syria. 'U.S. forces will work closely to ensure partner forces sustain their abilities to maintain pressure on ISIS and deny it the ability to find safe havens or regain strength,' it notes. Solve the daily Crossword
Daily Tribune
5 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Tribune
CENTCOM Commander Wraps Up Regional Tour with Focus on Security and Partnership
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) Commander, General Michael Erik Kurilla, has completed a 15-day visit to 11 countries in the Middle East, Central, and South Asia, aimed at strengthening military partnerships and understanding regional challenges. Between July 20 and August 2, Gen. Kurilla met with servicemembers, Chiefs of Defense, Ministers of Defense, and several Heads of State across Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Pakistan, Bahrain, Jordan, Lebanon, and Israel. One key highlight of his tour was in Pakistan, where he co-hosted the Central and South Asia (CASA) Chiefs of Defense Conference. Military leaders from Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and the United States discussed regional security cooperation under the theme 'Strengthening Bonds, Securing Peace.' In Iraq, Gen. Kurilla also oversaw the change of command for Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR), which leads the 87-nation coalition against ISIS—one of the largest and most successful coalitions in the world. Reflecting on the tour, Gen. Kurilla emphasized the importance of being on the ground to truly understand the complexities of the region. 'No amount of reports or phone calls can replace physically being here,' he said. 'Meeting our servicemembers, partner leaders, and local communities provides a deeper and more nuanced understanding.' He added that the visit left him with renewed confidence in the dedication of U.S. forces and the shared commitment of partner nations to regional stability and peace.
Yahoo
30-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Iraq's prime minister meets new anti-ISIS mission commander
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani meets with Brig.-Gen. Kevin J. Lambert, the new commander of the anti-ISIS mission in Iraq. Iraq's Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani met with the incoming commander of the anti-ISIS mission. The meeting came after the new commander, Brig. Gen. Kevin J. Lambert, arrived in Iraq to take up his post leading Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve. This coalition, which was established by the US in 2014 to fight ISIS, grew in 2015 and 2016 to include dozens of countries. Today, it faces questions about what its mission will be in the future. Lambert takes over from US Army Maj.-Gen. Kevin C. Leahy. Leahy led the coalition from August 2024. He took over from Maj.-Gen. Joel Vowell in 2023. Each of the coalition commanders serves a one-year term, and Lambert is the 11th commander. In 2024, the Pentagon announced that the mission would be in a transition phase, which is projected to end in September 2025. It was never clear what that would mean. Will it mean US troops will leave parts of Iraq? They are only deployed in a few places today, such as in Baghdad and Al-Asad base, as well as sites in the autonomous Kurdistan Region. The Kurdistan Regional Government wants the US to stay. Baghdad may have other ideas. This is why Sudani's meeting was important. Before looking at the Sudani meeting, it's worth recalling what the Pentagon said about the mission in 2024. 'The coalition nations and Iraq recognize that ISIS in Syria remains a significant threat to the region and pledged to continue working to ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS." The second phase looks to prevent the return of the ISIS terrorist threat in Syria. Iraq will allow the coalition 'to continue to support counter-ISIS operations in Syria from Iraq throughout the second phase of the transition until at least September 2026, subject to conditions on the ground and, obviously, consultations among future political leaders of Iraq and the United States.'' Sudani welcomed the US officials to his office on Monday. He hosted US General Michael Kurilla, commander of US Central Command, and his accompanying delegation, along with US chargé d'affaires Steven Fagin. 'At the beginning of the meeting, the prime minister welcomed the delegation, which included the new commander of the International Coalition Forces against Terrorism in Iraq and Syria, Brig.-Gen. Kevin Lambert, and the outgoing commander, Maj.-Gen. Kevin Leahy,' the Iraqi Prime Minister's Office said. Iraq's prime minister discussed the cooperation between Iraq and the coalition. He also discussed 'preparations for transitioning to bilateral security relations with coalition member states. Discussions also covered the work of the Iraq-US Higher Military Commission, as well as security cooperation and coordination, in addition to developments in Syria and their implications for regional security.' Iraq's security concerns Iraq's prime minister is concerned about security and also about what happens in neighboring Syria. Prior to the fall of the Assad regime, many Iranian-backed militias in Iraq operated in Syria. They used to travel through Qaim on the border to Syria's Albukamal. When the Assad regime fell, the militias and their Syrian friends fled to Iraq. Iraq is concerned about Syria. It may also be concerned that any chaos in Syria could spill over to Iraq. For instance, the fighting in Sweida led to the mobilization of Bedouin tribes in the Euphrates river valley. Many of these tribes have tribal connections to those in Iraq's Anbar province. As such, anything that happens in Syria can affect Iraq, because the Euphrates river valley is essentially one large area that links the two countries historically. In the pas,t extremists used the valley to enter Iraq to fight as insurgents against the US. Later, Iranian-backed militias went back up the valley from Iraq into Syria. The Iraqi Prime Minister's Office noted that 'Sudani stressed the importance of maintaining stability, avoiding triggers that could escalate conflicts, and upholding the sovereignty of states in accordance with UN charters, international resolutions, dialogue, and mutual understanding. He emphasized the need to activate diplomatic efforts and cooperation to reinforce security and stability in the region.' What happens next is unclear. The US commander presides over a mission with only a few thousand troops. It's primarily a mission that involves some training and equipping of partner forces and some advising. As the US redeploys troops, it's possible that the mission will have fewer than 1,000 personnel in Syria and similar numbers in Iraq. It's also possible the troops will be consolidated to the Kurdistan region and one or two bases in Syria. With ISIS largely defeated, that may make sense for the mission. However, the US role in both countries likely has influence and leverage that go far beyond just boots on the ground. The US role, along with what's left of the international coalition, can be a force multiplier in terms of stability. Iraq's leader is watching, as are the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces and the new Syrian government. In addition, Iran and Turkey are likely watching as well. Solve the daily Crossword
Iraqi News
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Iraqi News
Baghdad, US Central Command review security cooperation
Baghdad ( – Iraqi Prime Minister Mohamed Shia Al-Sudani emphasized the importance of maintaining stability and addressing the root causes of conflicts during a meeting on Monday with Michael Kurilla, the commander of US Central Command. The meeting was attended by Steven Fagin, Charge d'Affaires at the US Embassy in Baghdad; Kevin Lambert, the new commander of the US-led global coalition against ISIS; and Kevin Leahy, commander of the Combined Joint Task Force—Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR) in Iraq, according to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO). The meeting addressed cooperation between Iraq and the international coalition, as well as preparations for the transition to bilateral security ties with the coalition's member countries. In addition to security coordination, the two sides reviewed recent developments in Syria and their implications for regional security. The Iraqi prime minister indicated that diplomatic initiatives and collaboration are important to maintain regional stability. In an interview with the BBC earlier in July, Al-Sudani said that the international coalition's mission in Iraq will end in September 2026. The Iraqi government held two rounds of discussions with the United States in Baghdad and Washington, and a third round is scheduled to be held to determine the structure of the security cooperation, in line with the Iraqi constitution, according to Al-Sudani. In April, Al-Sudani and Leahy discussed strategies to strengthen collaboration between Iraq and the member countries of the international coalition. This collaboration included improving training and exchanging knowledge and information with Iraqi security agencies. Iraq initiated discussions with the United States in January 2024 to terminate the coalition's operations in the country.
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Family, friends gather in Marysville to send off Ohio Army National Guard air defense unit
About 40 members of the Ohio Army National Guard's Marysville-based Battery C, 1st Battalion, 174th Air Defense Artillery Regiment were honored with a "call to duty" ceremony July 6 before their deployment to the Middle East in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. Family and friends of the soldiers attended the event at the Marysville High School Alumni Hall Performing Arts Center on Amrine Mill Road. The unit will use the Avenger Air Defense System to provide short-range air and missile defense against unmanned aerial systems, cruise missile strikes, helicopters, and fixed-wing, low-altitude threats to critical assets and personnel for the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) area of responsibility. The 174th was previously deployed in 2010-2011 and 2018-2019. On July 3, a call to duty ceremony was held for about 160 members of the Ohio Army National Guard's Piqua-based 1487th Transportation Company, who are deploying to provide transportation assets and support in connection with Operation Spartan Shield. Operation Spartan Shield is a CENTCOM contingency operation in the Middle East that "promotes security, enhances readiness and strengthens the ability to rapidly respond," according to the National Guard. Task Force Spartan, the U.S. Army component of OSS, maintains a military presence in Southwest Asia. The 1487th previously deployed in 2004-2005, 2012-2013, and 2020-2021. This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio Army National Guard air defense regiment deploying to Middle East
