Coalition strength crushes ISIS resurgence threat while regional partners secure Middle East stability together.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) has successfully concluded a high-risk 23-day transfer mission, relocating more than 5,700 adult male ISIS fighters from detention facilities in northeastern Syria to Iraqi custody.
The complex operation began on January 21 and culminated in a coordinated nighttime flight on February 12. The mission was designed to prevent instability and block any attempt by ISIS remnants to exploit detention vulnerabilities in Syria.
Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of CENTCOM, praised the Joint Force for executing what he described as an exceptionally challenging ground and air operation in close coordination with regional allies. He emphasized Iraq’s leadership and its recognition that securing detainees is critical to long-term regional security.
Planning and execution were led by Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR), the coalition formed in 2014 to dismantle ISIS’s territorial strongholds.
Maj. Gen. Kevin Lambert, CJTF-OIR commander, stated the orderly and secure transfer directly reduces the risk of an ISIS resurgence in Syria.
Although ISIS was territorially defeated in 2019, coalition forces continue operations to prevent regrouping and maintain stability across Iraq and Syria.
