LUNGI, Sierra Leone — An HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter prepares to land after training here. The helicopter is assigned to the 56th Rescue Squadron and is deployed with the 398th Air Expeditionary Group in Senegal. (U. S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Justin D. Pyle)
On October 6, the U.S.-led coalition conducted an unprecedented raid in a village held by Syrian government forces in the country’s northeastern region.
U.S. special operations forces landed early in the morning from several helicopters in the village of Muluk Saray, which is located around 17 kilometers to the south of the town of al-Qamishli in the northern countryside of al-Hasakah.
During the raid, U.S. forces killed Rakan Abu Hayel, an alleged Iraqi citizen who has been living in Muluk Saray for several years. Abu Hayel, who reportedly was a suspected leader of ISIS, refused to surrender and resisted. The family of the man was captured by U.S. forces along with another unidentified family.
The commander of a local pro-government group affiliated with the Syrian Military Intelligence Directorate was also captured, but only because he opened fire at U.S. forces.
Two civilians in Muluk Saray were reportedly wounded by fire from U.S. attack helicopters which were providing support for the raid.
Muluk Saray is one of a few towns and villages in the northern al-Hasakah countryside that are still held by Syrian government forces. The locals in these towns and villages are known to be staunch supporters of the Damascus government. They were among the first people in the northeastern region to rise against ISIS when it first emerged.
This was the first time the U.S.-led coalition has conducted a raid in a government-held area since the start of its counter-terrorism operations in Syria in 2014.
The raid on Muluk Saray was not apparently coordinated with the Damascus government, which does not consider U.S. operations in Syria to be legitimate. The target of the raid may have been indeed a leader or a member of ISIS who was living undercover in the government-held village.
The U.S.-led coalition could have easily shared information on the suspected terrorist with Syrian government forces. However, it was apparently looking for a show of force.
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