Syrian TV says rare US raid in government-held zone kills one
Helicopters land in village after midnight, residents told by loudspeaker to stay indoors
AMMAN: Syrian state television said on Thursday that US special forces carried out a rare operation in a government-held village in the country’s northeast, killing one person and capturing others.
The operation took place in an area of Hasakeh province, which is partly held by government forces and partly held by US-backed Kurdish fighters.
The United States has carried out previous raids in Syria to target members of the Islamic State group, but Thursday’s operation would be the first known raid in a government-held area.
Syrian state television’s Telegram channel said helicopters had descended on the village of Muluk Saray but it did not say who the individual killed was.
Several residents of the area confirmed the raid to Reuters.
One said that US helicopters landed in the village after midnight and told residents by loudspeaker to stay indoors and keep their lights off. The resident said the operation lasted several hours and that there was no exchange of fire with the US troops.
A spokesperson for the US-led coalition formed to fight Daesh (Islamic State) did not immediately respond to a request for comment.