The US military’s sole focus in Syria is the defeat of the Islamic State (ISIS), Pentagon spokesman Brigadier General Patrick Ryder stated in a recent press briefing on Tuesday.
Addressing the questions about the situation in Deir ez-Zor (Dêrezor), eastern Syria, where the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) recently completed operations against drug traffickers and ISIS cells, Ryder stated, “We continue to closely monitor the events in northeast Syria. Our work with the SDF is focused only on the defeat ISIS mission.”
SDF’s Operation Security Reinforcement, which began on 27 August and was finalised on 6 September, targeted covert ISIS cells and drug trafficking networks linked to paramilitary groups that are allegedly backed by Turkey.
When asked if the US would support the SDF in their recent clashes, Ryder indicated that any diversion from the main objective of defeating ISIS could create instability and increase the risk of an ISIS resurgence. Therefore, he did not commit to supporting the SDF in these specific clashes but reiterated the focus on combating ISIS.
Ryder did not provide details on the SDF’s detention of Abu Khawla, leader of the Deir ez-Zor Military Council. “I don’t have anything on that. Our single and only focus in Syria is on the defeat ISIS mission,” he reiterated. Ryder further stressed the importance of focusing on the mission against ISIS. “The only winner here is ISIS,” he warned and added that “the SDF continues to play a critical role in the defeat ISIS mission.”
