Coalition Partner Forces Kill 9 ISIS Members in Southern Syria

SOUTHWEST ASIA, Nov. 19, 2017 — On Nov. 16, coalition partner forces near At Tanf Garrison, Syria, killed nine Islamic State of Iraq and Syria fighters and destroyed several ISIS vehicles, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.

The Maghaweir al Thowra, a fighting force native to southern Syria, engaged and defeated an attempted ISIS attack in the de-confliction zone near At Tanf, officials said.

MaT has been fighting ISIS and maintaining security of a 55-kilometer radius de-confliction zone at the tri-border area of Iraq, Syria and Jordan since 2015, according to officials.

Firefight

ISIS terrorists in vehicles with blacked-out headlights penetrated Syrian regime lines into the de-confliction zone, officials said. After coalition and partner forces ordered the vehicles to halt, the ISIS terrorists dismounted and began firing. Coalition and MaT partners returned fire, killing nine ISIS members and destroying several vehicles.

Throughout the event, coalition officials and their Russian counterparts used the de-confliction telephone line to ensure forces on the ground did not belong to Russia or the Syrian regime, officials said.

“This exchange of fires in southern Syria is evidence the terrorist organization still poses a threat to the people of southern Syria," said Army Col. Owen Ray, the Special Operations Joint Task Force’s director of operations.

The coalition is committed to remain in the region until ISIS is defeated, Ray added.

The MaT's actions demonstrate Syrians taking control of their territory following a brutal ISIS occupation, officials said.

The coalition -- working by, with and through partner forces -- remains committed to the enduring defeat of ISIS, and preventing its re-emergence as a terrorist force, officials said.