(New York, N.Y.) – Last week, American and Iraqi forces killed at least 15 ISIS fighters in one of the largest missions in the region in recent years, raiding Islamic State hideouts in Western Iraq with a view towards targeting a senior ISIS commander who oversees operations in both the Middle East and Europe. U.S. forces have so far declined to identify any of the ISIS commanders killed until confirmed by DNA evidence. The United States, with the help of the Syrian Democratic Forces, also captured an ISIS leader in Syria on Sunday. Khaled Ahmed al-Dandal had helped ISIS fighters who had escaped from Syrian detention facilities, including recently escaped detainees.

The two separate operations in Iraq and Syria came even as the United States is negotiating an agreement that would wind down the itsmilitary presence in Iraq, where it currently maintains 2,500 troops. 

Expert Analysis

CEP Senior Director Dr. Hans-Jakob Schindler:

“Putting military pressure on ISIS in its operational areas remains a key aspect of global counter terrorism efforts. ISIS attacks have been on the rise in Iraq and Syria in the last few months, and operations like this are necessary in order to disrupt this reemergence of ISIS as a significant Terror factor in its core region.

However, it should not be forgotten that ISIS is also growing in other areas, particularly West Africa and Afghanistan. The result of this growth in several vulnerable regions has been an increased rate of terrorist plots abroad—both those that are fortunately foiled as in Vienna recently, as well as successful ones such as in Moscow and most recently in Germany.

The international community must come together and recognize that ISIS is a growing threat, and that international terror attacks will continue to increase if the group is left “alone” in any of its growth areas. In particular, it is essential to focus on ISIS’ growth in both Afghanistan and West Africa in order to regain the ability to put targeted military pressure on its terror structures in these regions.”

CEP Resources:

To read CEP’s research on ISIS, please click here.