135
edits
Changes
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Line 95:
Line 95: + +
→Turkish incursion: Turkey +
==== Turkish incursion ====
==== Turkish incursion ====
In August 2019, Mulroy, as well as other senior DoD officials, expressed public support for the SDF after Turkish President [[Recep Tayyip Erdogan]] made a threat to launch a unilateral offensive into the Kurdish area of northeastern Syria, the so-called "Safe Zone" was not established.<ref>{{cite web|last=Wilgenburg|first=Wladimir|date=September 1, 2019|title=US-led coalition praises SDF's anti-ISIS efforts amid Turkish threats|url=https://www.kurdistan24.net/en/news/14faf2a4-c864-49ff-a5ff-8eb4be900173|website=Kurdistan24}}</ref> Turkey was pressing to control — in coordination with the U.S. — a 19 to 25 mile (30 to 40-kilometer) zone within Syria, running east of the Euphrates all the way to the border with Iraq.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.voanews.com/usa/erdogan-vows-syria-operation-if-us-falls-short-safe-zone |title=Erdogan Vows Syria Operation if US Falls Short in Safe Zone |website=Voice of America}}</ref> This zone was agreed to by Turkey and the U.S. with few public details,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/turkey-and-us-agree-to-cooperate-in-establishing-safe-zone-in-northern-syria/2019/08/07/187c3fde-b92b-11e9-8e83-4e6687e99814_story.html |title=U.S. and Turkey agree to cooperate in establishing "safe zone" in northern Syria |last1=Fahim |first1=Kareem |last2=Ryan |first2=Missy |newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref> but many officials in the DoD were skeptical that Turkey will honor it's commitments.<ref>{{cite web|last=Rubin|first=Michael|date=August 26, 2019|title=Should we trust Turkey on a Syria safe zone? History suggests no|url=https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/should-we-trust-turkey-on-a-syria-safe-zone-history-suggests-no|website=Washington Examiner}}</ref>
==== Death of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi ====
==== Death of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi ====
On October 26, 2019, U.S. Joint Special Operations Command's (JSOC) Delta Force conducted a raid into the Idlib province of Syria on the border with Turkey that resulted in the death of Ibrahim Awad Ibrahim Ali al-Badri al-Samarrai also known as Abū Bakr al-Baghdadi.<ref>{{Cite web|last1=Browne|first1=Ryan|last2=Mattingly|first2=Phil|date=October 27, 2019|title=ISIS leader al-Baghdadi believed to have been killed in a US military raid, sources say|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/26/politics/white-house-trump-announcement-sunday/index.html|access-date=2020-08-10|website=CNN}}</ref> The raid was launched based on a CIA Special Activities Center's intelligence effort that located the leader of ISIS.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2019/10/27/donald-trump-isis-leader-abu-bakr-al-baghdadi-dead/2477808001/ |title=President Trump says ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is dead after U.S.-led raid in Syria |last=Collins |first=David Jackson, Courtney Subramanian and Michael |website=USA TODAY}}</ref> This operation was conducted during the withdrawal of U.S. forces northeast Syria, adding to the complexity.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ibtimes.com/isis-leader-al-baghdadi-dead-after-us-special-forces-raid-hideout-syria-sources-2854504 |title=Isis Leader Al Baghdadi Dead After US Special Forces Raid Hideout In Syria: Sources |last=Minick |first=Benjamin |date=October 27, 2019 |website=International Business Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Ryan|first1=Missy|last2=Lamothe|first2=Dan|date=October 27, 2019|title=Trump says Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi blew himself up as U.S. troops closed in|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/us-forces-launch-operation-in-syria-targeting-isis-leader-baghdadi-officials-say/2019/10/27/081bc257-adf1-4db6-9a6a-9b820dd9e32d_story.html}}</ref> Several senior officials commented that this operation was only possible because of the presence on the ground in Syria allowing for the development of intelligence networks. Any further reduction in troop presence could compromise this capability. The SDF provided direct and extensive support to the operation. The U.S. stated they de-conflicted with Turkey, but they did not support the operation.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2019/10/27/isis-leader-al-baghdadi-believed-killed-in-us-commando-raid/ |title=Trump: ISIS leader al-Baghdadi killed in US commando raid |last=Altman |first=Howard |date=October 27, 2019 |website=Military Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2019/oct/27/abu-bakr-al-baghdadi-islamic-state-leader-trump-syria |title=Isis leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi killed in US raid, says Donald Trump - as it happened |last1=Perraudin |first1=Frances |last2=Safi |first2=Michael |date=October 27, 2019 |newspaper=The New York Times |last3=Chulov |first3=Martin}}</ref> Barisha, the village al-Baghdadi was killed in, was located five kilometers from the border of Syria and Turkey. Many in the U.S. intelligence community (IC) have suspicions that the Turkish government knew where al-Baghdadi was located.<ref>{{cite web|last=Lake|first=Eli|date=November 1, 2019|title=Did Turkey Know Where Baghdadi Was Hiding?|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2019-11-01/baghdadi-raid-did-turkey-know-where-he-was-hiding-in-syria|website=Bloomberg}}</ref> Barisha is located in an area heavily controlled by al-Qaeda affiliates to include Al-Nusra Front–SRF/Hazzm Movement conflict, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and Guardians of Religion Organization also known as Hurras ad-Din. Mulroy highlighted this area and the concern that intelligence and military officials had about the threats emanating from there before the Barisha raid.<ref>{{cite web|last=Kajjo|first=Sirwan|date=October 27, 2019|title=Al-Baghdadi Killed in Idlib, a Hotbed of Terror Groups, Foreign Fighters|url=https://www.voanews.com/extremism-watch/al-baghdadi-killed-idlib-hotbed-terror-groups-foreign-fighters|website=Voice of America}}</ref>
On October 26, 2019, U.S. Joint Special Operations Command's (JSOC) Delta Force conducted a raid into the Idlib province of Syria on the border with Turkey that resulted in the death of Ibrahim Awad Ibrahim Ali al-Badri al-Samarrai also known as Abū Bakr al-Baghdadi.<ref>{{Cite web|last1=Browne|first1=Ryan|last2=Mattingly|first2=Phil|date=October 27, 2019|title=ISIS leader al-Baghdadi believed to have been killed in a US military raid, sources say|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/26/politics/white-house-trump-announcement-sunday/index.html|access-date=2020-08-10|website=CNN}}</ref> The raid was launched based on a CIA Special Activities Center's intelligence effort that located the leader of ISIS.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2019/10/27/donald-trump-isis-leader-abu-bakr-al-baghdadi-dead/2477808001/ |title=President Trump says ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is dead after U.S.-led raid in Syria |last=Collins |first=David Jackson, Courtney Subramanian and Michael |website=USA TODAY}}</ref> This operation was conducted during the withdrawal of U.S. forces northeast Syria, adding to the complexity.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ibtimes.com/isis-leader-al-baghdadi-dead-after-us-special-forces-raid-hideout-syria-sources-2854504 |title=Isis Leader Al Baghdadi Dead After US Special Forces Raid Hideout In Syria: Sources |last=Minick |first=Benjamin |date=October 27, 2019 |website=International Business Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Ryan|first1=Missy|last2=Lamothe|first2=Dan|date=October 27, 2019|title=Trump says Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi blew himself up as U.S. troops closed in|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/us-forces-launch-operation-in-syria-targeting-isis-leader-baghdadi-officials-say/2019/10/27/081bc257-adf1-4db6-9a6a-9b820dd9e32d_story.html}}</ref> Several senior officials commented that this operation was only possible because of the presence on the ground in Syria allowing for the development of intelligence networks. Any further reduction in troop presence could compromise this capability. The SDF provided direct and extensive support to the operation. The U.S. stated they de-conflicted with Turkey, but they did not support the operation.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2019/10/27/isis-leader-al-baghdadi-believed-killed-in-us-commando-raid/ |title=Trump: ISIS leader al-Baghdadi killed in US commando raid |last=Altman |first=Howard |date=October 27, 2019 |website=Military Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2019/oct/27/abu-bakr-al-baghdadi-islamic-state-leader-trump-syria |title=Isis leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi killed in US raid, says Donald Trump - as it happened |last1=Perraudin |first1=Frances |last2=Safi |first2=Michael |date=October 27, 2019 |newspaper=The New York Times |last3=Chulov |first3=Martin}}</ref> Barisha, the village al-Baghdadi was killed in, was located five kilometers from the border of Syria and Turkey. Many in the U.S. intelligence community (IC) have suspicions that the Turkish government knew where al-Baghdadi was located.<ref>{{cite web|last=Lake|first=Eli|date=November 1, 2019|title=Did Turkey Know Where Baghdadi Was Hiding?|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2019-11-01/baghdadi-raid-did-turkey-know-where-he-was-hiding-in-syria|website=Bloomberg}}</ref> Barisha is located in an area heavily controlled by al-Qaeda affiliates to include Al-Nusra Front–SRF/Hazzm Movement conflict, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and Guardians of Religion Organization also known as Hurras ad-Din. Mulroy highlighted this area and the concern that intelligence and military officials had about the threats emanating from there before the Barisha raid.<ref>{{cite web|last=Kajjo|first=Sirwan|date=October 27, 2019|title=Al-Baghdadi Killed in Idlib, a Hotbed of Terror Groups, Foreign Fighters|url=https://www.voanews.com/extremism-watch/al-baghdadi-killed-idlib-hotbed-terror-groups-foreign-fighters|website=Voice of America}}</ref>