US airstrikes hit dozens of Islamic State targets in central Syria on Sundaywhile President Joe Biden warned that Bashar al-Assad’s fall from power could open the door to a resurgence of Islamic extremism.
“We are clear that Isis will try to take advantage of any gap to restore its capabilities and create a safe haven,” Biden said in statements at the White House. “We will not allow that to happen.”
About 900 U.S. troops are deployed in Syria as part of a mission to prevent a resurgence of the Islamic State. Biden said that mission “will continue.”
The rebel group that led the offensive in Syria that overthrew Assad, Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham, is a splinter faction of Al Qaeda that today presents itself as more moderate. Known as HTS, it is classified as a terrorist organization by the United States and other countries.
“We will remain vigilant,” Biden said Sunday. “Make no mistake, some of the rebel groups that overthrew Assad have their own dark record of terrorism and human rights abuses.”
Dozens of US airstrikes using B-52 bombers and F-15 fighters hit more than 75 targets, including Isis leaders, operatives and campsThe US Central Command said in a statement.
“We will not allow ISIS to reconstitute itself and take advantage of the current situation in Syria,” Centcom commander Gen. Michael Kurilla said in the statement. “All organizations in Syria should know that we will hold them accountable if they associate with or support ISIS in any way.”
At the White House, Biden hailed a “moment of historic opportunity” for Syria and the Middle Eastalthough he said that it is also “a time of risk and uncertainty.”
The rapid advance of rebel groups in the last two weeks ended Assad’s rule since 2000 and more than half a century of his family’s power.
“At last, the Assad regime has fallen,” in a “fundamental act of justice,” Biden said. Assad had the backing of Russia, Iran and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, but “all three are much weaker today than when I took office,” he said.
Biden pledged to support Syria’s neighbors (Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Israel) against any threat arising from Syria; to focus on ensuring stability in eastern Syria and protecting U.S. troops and Americans in Syria; and to collaborate with all Syrian groups as they form a new government.
Biden faces a tight timeline for any action in Syria, as the administration maintains a heavy involvement in Israel’s multi-front war and prepares to pass the baton to President-elect Donald Trump, who has signaled a more isolationist stance in global conflicts. , including Syria and the Middle East in general.
