Officials Provide Details of Latest Strikes Against ISIS

SOUTHWEST ASIA, Dec. 4, 2017 — U.S. and coalition military forces have continued to attack the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, conducting 33 strikes consisting of 49 engagements between Dec. 1 and yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.

Officials reported details of the most recent strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.

Strikes in Syria

Yesterday in Syria, coalition military forces conducted five strikes against ISIS targets near Abu Kamal, engaging three ISIS tactical units and destroying two ISIS vehicles, two heavy weapons and three fighting positions.

On Dec. 2, coalition military forces conducted 11 strikes against ISIS targets near Abu Kamal, engaging 11 ISIS tactical units and destroying eight ISIS vehicles, a heavy weapon, an ISIS fighting position and five explosive hazards.

On Dec. 1, coalition military forces conducted 12 strikes against ISIS targets near Abu Kamal, engaging 13 ISIS tactical units and destroying four ISIS vehicles, a tactical vehicle, an ISIS fighting position, an indirect fire weapon and a heavy weapon.

Strikes in Iraq

Yesterday in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted a strike consisting of two engagements near Rutbah that destroyed an ISIS-held building.

On Dec. 2, coalition military forces conducted four strikes consisting of four engagements against ISIS targets:

-- Near Asad, a strike destroyed two ISIS supply routes.

-- Near Qayyarah, two strikes destroyed two ISIS-held buildings.

-- Near Taji, a strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit.

There were no strikes reported in Iraq on Dec. 1.

Previous Strikes

Additionally, a strike consisting of one engagement was conducted on Nov. 30 near Abu Kamal. The strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed an ISIS vehicle.

Part of Operation Inherent Resolve

These strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to destroy ISIS in Iraq and Syria. The destruction of ISIS targets in Iraq and Syria also further limits the group's ability to project terror and conduct external operations throughout the region and the rest of the world, task force officials said.

The list above contains all strikes conducted by fighter, attack, bomber, rotary-wing or remotely piloted aircraft; rocket-propelled artillery; and some ground-based tactical artillery when fired on planned targets, officials noted.

Ground-based artillery fired in counterfire or in fire support to maneuver roles is not classified as a strike, they added. A strike, as defined by the coalition, refers to one or more kinetic engagements that occur in roughly the same geographic location to produce a single or cumulative effect.

For example, task force officials explained, a single aircraft delivering a single weapon against a lone ISIS vehicle is one strike, but so is multiple aircraft delivering dozens of weapons against a group of ISIS-held buildings and weapon systems in a compound, having the cumulative effect of making that facility harder or impossible to use. Strike assessments are based on initial reports and may be refined, officials said.

The task force does not report the number or type of aircraft employed in a strike, the number of munitions dropped in each strike, or the number of individual munition impact points against a target.

Secretary Recognizes Pakistan’s Sacrifices, Role in Counterterrorism Fight

WASHINGTON, Dec. 4, 2017 — Speaking to senior Pakistani officials in Islamabad today, Defense Secretary James N. Mattis recognized Pakistan’s sacrifices in the war on terrorism, chief Pentagon spokesperson Dana W. White said in a statement.

This is Mattis’ inaugural trip to Pakistan in this position, she said.

Meets With Senior Pakistani Officials

Mattis met with Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Defense Minister Khuram Dastgir, White said. The secretary also met with Chief of Army Staff Gen. Qamar Bajwa and the director general of the Inter-Services Intelligence agency, Lt. Gen. Naveed Mukhtar.

The secretary emphasized the vital role that Pakistan can play in working with the United States and others to facilitate a peace process in Afghanistan that brings stability and security to the region, she said.

White said Mattis also reiterated that Pakistan must redouble its efforts to confront militants and terrorists operating within the country.

Texas Resident Pleads Guilty to Providing Material Support to ISIS

Asher Abid Khan, 23, of Spring, Texas, pleaded guilty today to providing material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization.

Acting Assistant Attorney General for National Security Dana J. Boente, Acting U.S. Attorney Abe Martinez and Special Agent in Charge Perrye K. Turner of the FBI’s Houston field office made the announcement.

The investigation began in 2014 when Khan and his friend, who was living in South Texas, devised a plan to travel to Turkey and then to Syria for the purpose of fighting on behalf of ISIS.  Khan had been living with a relative in Australia.  Prior to leaving for Turkey from there, Khan told Mohamed Zuhbi, a Turkish-based foreign terrorist fighter facilitator, that he wanted to join ISIS.

Khan provided instructions to his friend on travel and how to reach him once Khan arrived in Turkey.  During this part of the planning phase, it was Khan - not his friend - who was in touch with Zuhbi.  On Feb. 24, 2014, Khan and his friend met in Istanbul, Turkey.  At that time, Khan gave his South Texas friend money, knowing he intended to travel to Syria and join and fight with ISIS.

Khan then departed from the Istanbul Airport in Turkey and returned to the United States after his family tricked him into coming home to Houston because of an alleged hospitalization of his mother.

As soon as Khan returned to the U.S., he contacted Zuhbi with the purpose of introducing him to his friend so he could enter Syria and join ISIS as a fighter with Zuhbi’s help.  Khan then provided to his friend a Turkish cell phone number for reaching Zuhbi.  The following day, Khan’s friend sent an electronic message to Khan indicating he had “been delivered :),” by Zuhbi, but that he was not with ISIS yet.  Over the next few months, the friend attended fighter training camps and stayed in touch with Zuhbi and Khan.  During that time, Khan offered his friend money and instructed him to try to get to ISIS.

On Aug. 11, 2014, the friend finally made it to ISIS with Khan and Zuhbi’s assistance.  After September 2014, he had ceased all forms of communications.  On Dec. 25, 2014, the friend’s mother received an electronic message explaining that her son had died while fighting.

Zuhbi is still at large and is believed to be residing in either Turkey or Syria.  There are pending criminal charges in the Southern District of Texas against Zubhi.   Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to contact the FBI at 713-693-5000.

U.S. District Judge Lynn N. Hughes accepted the guilty plea today and has set sentencing for March 5, 2018 at 1:30 p.m.  At that time, Khan faces up to 15 years in federal prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.   The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes. If convicted of any offense, the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force conducted the investigations.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carolyn Ferko, Alamdar Hamdani and Steve Mellin of the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case with the assistance of the Counterterrorism Section of the Justice Department’s National Security Division.