U.S. special operations forces launched what Pentagon officials early Thursday said was a successful counterterrorism mission in northwest Syria but provided few other details of the operation.
The raid at Atmeh, in the Syrian province Idlib, was under the control of U.S. Central Command. Defense Department officials did not identify the target or the U.S. military unit that launched the mission.
“The mission was successful. There were no U.S. casualties,” chief Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said in a statement. “More information will be provided as it becomes available.”
Charles Lister, a Syria analyst with the Washington, D.C.-based Middle East Institute, tracked social media posts about the raid that were coming from the scene. He said U.S. helicopters laden with commandos landed at a residential building in the Syrian town of Dayr Balut and tried to capture an “unknown target” while simultaneously attempting to evacuate non-combatants from the scene.
“Fighting broke out and nine people were killed — including three kids and a woman,” Mr. Lister said in a Twitter message. “Unknown if the target was killed/captured.”
Sources at the scene identified the target of the U.S. commando strike as a senior leader with Hurras al-Din, an armed insurgent group affiliated with al-Qaeda and fighting in the Syrian civil war, Mr. Lister tweeted.
While Defense Department officials said the raid was a success, Mr. Lister was more guarded about the outcome. He said the house was “virtually leveled” with drone strikes continuing even after the U.S. helicopters left.
“It was clear for some time that the (special operations forces) operation wasn’t going to plan — (two hours at the) site is very unusual and high risk,” Mr. Lister said in a Twitter message.
The New York Times reported that one of the U.S. helicopters had to be destroyed on the scene after it sustained a mechanical problem.
Combat missions in the region have come under increased scrutiny since August 2021 when a botched drone strike in Kabul killed 10 civilians, including seven children. While initially insisting the mission was successful, U.S. officials later acknowledged the wrong target was struck.
About 1,000 U.S. troops operate in Syria in support of the mission against ISIS.