The commander of U.S. Central Command said there were “multiple instances of cooperation” with Syria against ISIL.
Brad Cooper, commander of the U.S. military’s Central Command, based in the Middle East, said the U.S. is cooperating with the Syrian military in conducting operations against Islamic State (ISIS), and emphasized the cooperation between the U.S. government and Damascus.
Cooper, speaking virtually Wednesday at a Middle East Institute event, said the U.S. military is working to “facilitate cooperation” with Syrian authorities.
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“There are multiple instances where we have worked with the Syrian government to counter a very specific ISIS threat,” Cooper said.
The US general’s comments came on the first anniversary of Syria’s transition to power after a blitzkrieg by rebel fighters toppled the government of President Bashar al-Assad.
Mr. Cooper’s statement highlighting security cooperation in Syria underscores the remarkable transformation of Damascus, which had close ties with U.S. rivals Russia and Iran for decades under the al-Assad regime.
The US military commander also said the US is supporting efforts to integrate the Kurdish-majority Syrian Democratic Forces with the Syrian government.
With US support, the SDF controls much of the country’s northeast and enjoys de facto autonomy. Despite an agreement in March to integrate SDF fighters into Syrian state institutions, occasional clashes have occurred between the two sides.
“Successful integration of the SDF with Syrian government forces will result in a more predictable and stable security environment,” Cooper said.
Syria joined the U.S.-led global coalition against ISIL last month after President Ahmed al-Shalah, a former rebel commander who led an al-Qaeda-linked group, visited Washington, D.C., and met with U.S. President Donald Trump.
“Just last week, we worked with the Syrian Ministry of Interior to identify and destroy 15 ISIS weapons facilities in southern Syria,” Cooper said Wednesday.
“The operation removed more than 130 mortars and rockets, multiple small arms, anti-tank mines, IED (improvised explosive device) material and illegal drugs.”
ISIL controlled large areas of Syria and Iraq from 2014 to 2019. Despite ISIL’s territorial defeat, U.S. officials say ISIL remnants continue to pose a threat to the region.
The United States has sent as many as 2,000 troops to Syria to fight ISIL, but the Trump administration announced earlier this year that it would reduce the number of American bases and soldiers in the country.
Cooper said the U.S. military will continue to play an “active role” in supporting U.S. Special Envoy Tom Barrack to realize President Trump’s “vision of a prosperous Middle East and a peaceful and stable Syria at home and with its neighbors.”
He also reiterated his gratitude to the Syrian authorities for intercepting weapons destined for Hezbollah in Lebanon.
“These are tangible security gains that we can gain on the ground through close cooperation with Syrian government forces,” he said.
Since the fall of the al-Assad regime, Israel, the United States’ biggest ally in the region, has carried out airstrikes in Syria and expanded its military presence in southern Syria.
The Israeli military also regularly launches raids in southern Syria, abducting and displacing residents.
Mr. Cooper did not mention Israeli operations in the country Wednesday, but he referred to footage of himself playing basketball with Mr. Al-Shallah earlier this year and praised what he called “hoop diplomacy.”
“While many challenges remain, I believe there is great reason to be optimistic and hopeful about the historic opportunities ahead,” he said.
