US, Iraqi forces kill 163 ISIS fighters, capture 33 in counterterrorism campaign

NEWSROOM — U.S. Central Command has reported that joint operations targeting ISIS in Iraq and Syria over the past two months resulted in the deaths of 163 ISIS fighters and the capture of 33 others. Conducted in coordination with security forces in Iraqi and Syria since August 29, these 95 operations included several unilateral U.S. airstrikes in Syria that eliminated over 30 senior and mid-level ISIS leaders, according to CENTCOM.

In addition to neutralizing key ISIS figures, the operations led to the seizure of substantial enemy equipment, a move CENTCOM says will weaken ISIS’s ability to plan and execute future attacks.

“Alongside our coalition and Iraqi partners, we will continue to aggressively pursue these terrorists and disrupt their capability to conduct operations against U.S. interests, as well as those of our allies and partners,” said Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, commander of CENTCOM.

Despite the loss of its territorial hold in Iraq in 2017 and Syria in 2019, ISIS remnants continue to threaten regional stability, employing guerrilla tactics such as ambushes, especially in Syria’s Badiya desert and Iraq’s disputed territories. Reports suggest that ISIS is working to rebuild its networks in Syria, conducting ambushes and large-scale attacks.

In Iraq, ISIS continues to orchestrate assaults that have resulted in casualties among Iraqi soldiers, highlighting the persistent risk posed by the group. The U.S. maintains approximately 2,500 troops in Iraq and 900 in Syria as part of an international coalition dedicated to combating ISIS.

Iraqi security forces are also engaged in dismantling ISIS cells. In 2024, Iraqi authorities report that over 100 ISIS militants, including several senior leaders, have been killed in ongoing counterterrorism efforts.

In October, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani announced the death of the ISIS leader in Iraq, along with eight senior operatives, in a targeted operation.