(Newswire.net — May 16, 2015) — The U.S. Defense Department confirmed Saturday that its special forces have conducted a military operation in eastern Syria, CNN reported. The mission target was a senior Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) commander who was killed in the raid.
The mission target was also Abu Sayyaf’s wife who was also an IS leader, the US defense secretary reported.
According to the US Defense Secretary Ash Carter, the terrorist group led by Sayyaf was involved in the military operations, as well as “illicit oil, gas and financial operations.”
National Security Council spokesperson Bernadette Meehan said that Sayyaf was killed when encountered US special forces. He said that US President Barack Obama approved the operation in eastern Syria’s al-Amr.
“The president authorized this operation upon the unanimous recommendation of his national security team and as soon as we had developed sufficient intelligence and were confident the mission could be carried out successfully and consistent with the requirements for undertaking such operations,” Meehan said.
According to Meehan, US Special Forces captured in the raid Sayyaf’s wife, also ISIS fighter. It is now being decided where to bring her from custody in Iraq, Meehan said.
No US military were killed or injured in the operation, the US Defense officials reported. In addition, US Special Forces freed a Yazidi woman, who allegedly has been held as a slave.
The operation was conducted with the full consent of Iraqi authorities” and “consistent with domestic and international law,” Security Council spokesperson Meehan said.
The Syria President Bashar Assad, however, said that the US military operations in Syria are an illegal intervention, violating the sovereignty of the country, as it has not been authorized by a UN Security Council resolution.