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The US military attacked ISIS targets in Syria on Sunday as rebel groups overthrew the government.
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Longtime Syrian leader Bashar Assad fled Damascus for Moscow.
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President Joe Biden said US troops would remain in Syria to fight ISIS.
The US military said it carried out dozens of precision strikes on ISIS targets in central Syria on Sunday.
The widespread airstrikes came after a days-long blitz by rebels that ultimately led to the downfall of Syria’s longtime leader, Bashar Assad. Russian state news media reported on Sunday that Assad had arrived in Moscow, where he was granted asylum.
The US Central Command, which oversees operations in the Middle East, said it hit ISIS leaders, operatives and camps to prevent the terrorist group from rebuilding amid the chaos in central Syria.
Centcom said it used U.S. Air Force B-52 bombers, F-15 fighter jets and A-10 attack aircraft to attack more than 75 targets. Speaking to reporters, a senior government official described the operation as “significant” and said around 140 rounds of ammunition were used. It is unclear which missiles or bombs may have been used.
“There should be no doubt: we will not allow ISIS to recreate and take advantage of the current situation in Syria,” Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, Centcom’s commander, said in a statement. “All organizations in Syria must know that we will hold them accountable if they collaborate with or support ISIS in any way.”
Syrian anti-government forces announced early Sunday morning that they had taken control of Damascus. It was the culmination of 13 years of civil war, which began in 2011 after Assad’s forces violently crushed peaceful protesters.
Armed anti-regime groups advance in Syria’s strategically important Homs province on December 6.Anadolu/Anadolu via Getty Images
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, an organization that traces its roots to al Qaeda but has since split from the group and portrayed itself as more moderate, launched the surprise offensive in late November. The rebels quickly took control of Aleppo, one of Syria’s largest cities, Hama, and the strategic city of Homs before pushing into Damascus.
President Joe Biden acknowledged during a press conference on Sunday that the US was carrying out airstrikes “targeting ISIS camps and ISIS operatives” in Syria.
“We are clear that ISIS will seek to take advantage of any vacuum to restore its ability to create a safe haven,” Biden said. “We won’t let that happen.”
Biden said the US would support Syria’s neighbors Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Israel “should any threat arise from Syria during this transition.”
The United States has about 900 troops in Syria conducting missions against ISIS. Biden said on Sunday that these troops will remain in the country despite Assad’s ouster.
The US routinely partners with local forces in Syria and neighboring Iraq to conduct operations against ISIS, dozens of which have taken place in recent months.
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