Skip to main content

US special forces kill Isis commander and capture wife in Syria raid

US special operations forces have killed an Islamic State commander through a dramatic and secretive raid into Syria and have taken a woman prisoner, the first US-held detainee of the war against Isis and a move that places immediate stress on one of Barack Obama’s signature wartime policies. Ashton Carter, the US defense secretary, confirmed on Saturday that Obama ordered the elite troops to raid a location in eastern Syria and “capture” an Isis figure, Abu Sayyaf. Unusually, Carter said the raid also targeted the man’s wife, identified as Umm Sayyaf. Abu Sayyaf was killed in the raid, Carter said. Umm Sayyaf was taken prisoner – a rarity for the Obama administration, whose reluctance to add to the complexities of US wartime detentions has often led it to kill battlefield targets instead of capturing them. A White House statement indicated the Iraqi government “contributed” to the operation, involvement that could signal Umm Sayyaf’s ultimate dispensation. Bernadette Meehan, the National Security Council spokeswoman, said Umm Sayyaf was “in military detention in Iraq”. US officials did not immediately respond to requests for elaboration about her conditions and what they intend to do with her. But the administration was portraying the overall operation as a success. “The operation represents another significant blow to Isis, and it is a reminder that the United States will never waver in denying safe haven to terrorists who threaten our citizens, and those of our friends and allies,” Carter said in a statement. Meehan said in a separate statement that the operation also freed a young Yazidi woman whom Abu Sayyaf and Umm Sayyaf kept as “a slave”. Isis members have committed human trafficking and slavery, particularly against the Yazidi minority whose persecution on a mountaintop in Iraq last year sparked Obama to begin airstrikes on Isis. Although the raid was described to reporters as a capture mission, Meehan indicated that the US was unsure what it would do now it has Umm Sayyaf in custody. “We are working to determine an ultimate disposition for the detainee that best supports the national security of the United States and of our allies and partners, consistent with domestic and international law. We will follow our usual practice with respect to giving the ICRC notification and access to the detainee,” Meehan said, referring to the International Committee of the Red Cross. A Pentagon spokesman said she did not know if Umm Sayyaf was being interrogated or would soon be. Nor did she know if Umm Sayyaf would be taken to Guantánamo Bay. The 3,000 US military forces on the ground in Iraq, formally on an advisory mission, are not known to operate any detention facilities – an allergy in Iraq after the infamous Abu Ghraib torture scandal of the last decade’s US occupation. Transferring Umm Sayyaf to Iraqi prisons, a possible outcome of the raid, is also complicated by US and international injunctions against turning detainees over to abusive prison conditions. Human Rights Watch has documented extensive abuse, to include rape, in Iraqi government jails. In a 2014 report, the monitor organization determined that “security forces of the interior and defense ministries, and forces that operate unofficial detention facilities, tortured women in their custody”. US warplanes bomb Isis positions in Syria daily. Raids by ground forces have been rare. A publicly acknowledged exception was a summer 2014 attempt to free western hostages from Isis captivity. By the time US forces arrived at their target location, the hostages had been moved. Some, including journalist James Foley, would later be beheaded by Isis.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

MISS EDEMAYA BEAUTY PAGEANT 2013

EdemAya, a community so rich in mineral resources, and one of the five clans that make up the present day Ikot Abasi Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria is hosting the world on the 29 th of March 2013. As we gathered from the head of the organizing group, Miss Precious Dominic Akpan, the event is scheduled to take place at the Cooperative Hall, Ikot Ubo Akama, Edemaya in Ikot Abasi, Akwa Ibom State. Three beauties are to emerge from the event which promises to be the first ever organized pageant. The Eligibility Form which are currently on sale for a token of N 2,000 will qualify the contestants to struggle for Miss EdemAya, Miss Democracy of EdemAya and Miss Culture & Tourism of EdemAya. The screening and training of the contestants commences on 25 th through 28 th of March 2013. We have been reliably informed that the event will parade ‘who is who’ in the music industry in Akwa Ibom State and a popular reggae artist from Delta State. Imagine the sque...

Snoop Lion Excommunicated From The Rastafari Community

Snoop Lion excommunicated from the Rastafari Community, according to Bunny Wailer! Bunny has always had his doubts about  Snoop Lion ‘s intent and now his skepticism has taken an even stronger stance, that of excommunication. The news was broken via his  Facebook  profile and via  press release . Recently Snoop Lion has struggled to convince the Rastafari and Reggae community that he is sincere about his profession of, and transition to the faith, principles and beliefs of Rastafari. Most doubtful is Bunny Wailer the only living member of the original Wailer. ‘ Excommunication is a religious censure used to deprive, suspend, or limit membership in a religious community or to restrict certain rights within it. Some groups use the term disfellowship instead, ‘ stated Bunny’s official release. With that said, this would surely deprive Snoop Lion from direct contact to some elders within the Rastafarian community also, access to vital information and place of wo...

VIDEO: Two Girls Stripped In Public For Stealing Brazilian Hair

These two young girls were stripped naked in public by a shop owner after they were caught stealing  Brazilian hair . According to information gathered, these girls entered  the shop  as if they were interested in purchasing something. One of the girl’s intentionally decided to engage the owner in a conversation by asking lot of questions on the types of  Brazilian  hairs at the store and then the other girl was busy stealing Brazilian hairs. Watch the video  below: