"This base transfer occurred amid force protection concerns sparked by escalating tensions between the United States and Iran and its proxy militias, which CJTF-OIR said led to an acceleration of the long-term transfer plan."
U.S. forces could not transfer about five dozen high-value ISIS detainees before the Pentagon’s decision to move U.S. forces out of the zone of Turkish military operations.
No U.S. troops were injured in the strike, but U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces said American commandos temporarily withdrew from their observation post on Mishtanur hill near Kobani and returned on Saturday.
SMART news agency said it spoke to the leader of the U.S. commando patrol who told SMART that “their forces will target the Turkish army if it advances inside Syrian territory more than the agreed distance between the United States and Turkey,” according to a translation of the Arabic caption describing the video.
According to a release from Operation Inherent Resolve, U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces have nabbed several ISIS commanders and facilitators in counterterrorism operations spanning Oct. 2 to Oct. 5.
The U.S. dropped more munitions in Afghanistan in September than any other month since October 2010 when America had nearly 100,000 troops on the ground.
“Turkey has neither the intent, desire, nor capacity to manage 60k detainees in al Hol camp, which State and DoD IGs [inspector general] warn is the nucleus for a resurgent ISIS. Believing otherwise is a reckless gamble with our national security,” Brett McGurk, Trump’s former envoy for the fight against ISIS, tweeted.
The U.S. Department of State’s Rewards for Justice Program is also offering a $5 million reward for information or location of Adnan Abu Walid al-Sahrawi, the leader of the ISIS offshoot known as the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara.
A special operations task force was awarded 34 valor awards to include five Silver Stars and nine Bronze Stars during a six month deployment combating Taliban, Afghan ISIS militants, Haqqani network and Al-Qaida fighters.