Desperate attacks make Daesh weaker: Coalition
By CJTF-OIR Public Affairs CJTF OIR
BAGHDAD – Daesh’s desperate attacks in the past days have made it ultimately weaker, according to the Coalition charged with advising, assisting, and enabling partner forces.
In Syria, on January 20, 2022, a complex attack was carried out on the Hasakah detention facility in Hasakah province, Syria.
The Syrian Democratic Forces immediately responded to the threat, cordoning the area, and have conducted sustained operations since the attack began on Thursday night. With the assistance of Coalition ISR and strike capabilities, the SDF have contained the threat.
Coalition forces conducted real-time surveillance during the event, and conducted a series of strikes throughout the days-long operation, to include precision targeting of Daesh fighters who were attacking the SDF from buildings in the area. The Coalition retains the right to defend itself and partner forces against any threat, and will continue to do everything within its power to protect those forces.
The groups responsible for this brazen attack are now ultimately weaker, said Maj. Gen. John W. Brennan, Jr., commander, Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve.
“In their desperate attempt to display relevance, Daesh delivered a death sentence for many of their own who participated in this attack,” said Brennan. “Many Daesh detainees seized arms from prison guards whom they murdered and subsequently engaged SDF quick reaction forces. Unlike Daesh, the Coalition has taken great measures to ensure the humane treatment of detainees, but when ISIS detainees took up arms, they became an active threat, and were subsequently engaged and killed by the SDF and Coalition airstrikes.”
Detainees who did not participate in the attack will be secured, with more details to be announced as the SDF completes its operations in the area. ISIS detainees attempted to destroy a new, more secure detention facility in Hasakah, in the vicinity of the existing detention facility, but failed. The new facility is nearly complete in its construction.
The Coalition is confident in its assessment that the recent Daesh escape attempt will not pose a significant threat to Iraq or the region, but is analyzing the situation to determine whether Daesh is planning any future attacks on other detention facilities in Iraq or Syria. While Daesh remains a threat, it is clearly no longer the force it once was, said Brennan.
“The Coalition answered the call for help back in 2014, when Daesh ravaged the region, controlling hundreds of thousands of miles of territory, and 8 million innocent civilians were victims of its brutality. The Coalition degraded, dismantled, and ultimately destroyed Daesh’s territorial ‘caliphate’ in 2017. While it is militarily defeated, Daesh remains an existential threat to the region. Due to its severely degraded capability, Daesh’s future survival is dependent on its ability to refill its ranks through poorly-conceived attempts like the Hasakah attack. At the invitation of the Republic of Iraq, we will continue to advise, assist, and enable our partner forces to ensure Daesh is unable to regenerate within Iraq or Syria,” said Brennan.
Please report any information you may have on detainees or those involved in attacks to +1 (240) 224-3777.
