CENTCOM chief rushes to Iraq, Syria amid rising attacks on US presence
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CENTCOM's top chief tours US occupation military camps in Syria and bases in Iraq to check on forces amid growing Resistance operations in support of Gaza.
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US occupation vehicles and fortified structures are seen on the outskirts of the northern Syrian town of Manbij on December 26, 2018 (AFP)
US CENTCOM Commander General Michael Erik Kurilla made a trip to Iraq to meet with the country's top officials and visit US forces and bases, and then illegally made his way into Syria to check up on American occupation bases and troops.
His visit comes amid a surging wave of Resistance operations targeting US military bases and troops in both Arab countries.
Resistance factions in the region, spearheaded by the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, announced in October the beginning of a phase of operations against US presence in Iraq and Syria, in response to the US-backed Israeli savage war on Gaza and in support of the people of the Strip. The groups repeatedly stressed the attacks will continue until the war stops.
Last week, the most intense day of operations took place, when the Islamic Resistance in Iraq announced the execution of 11 operations against US bases in one day in Iraq and Syria, using dozens of rockets and drones.
Read more: US amending broken deterrence in Syria by fortifying occupation bases
In the latest toll revealed by the Pentagon, US forces in both Iraq and Syria were targeted at least 97 times between October 17 and December 13, a massive rise in attacks compared to the period between January 2021 and March 2023, where 78 operations were recorded.
"On December 13-14, General Michael Erik Kurilla, US Central Command Commander, traveled to Iraq and Syria to meet with key leaders, partner forces, and US Service Members," CENTCOM said in a post on X.
"The leaders discussed current regional and local security concerns with a particular emphasis on the attacks against US forces."
According to the statement, General Kurilla met with the Iraqi Prime Minister, Mohammed Shia al-Sudani; the Chief of the General Staff, General Abdel Emir Yarallah; Joint Operations Command – Iraq Commander, Staff General Qais Khalaf Rahimah al-Muhammadawi; and the US Embassy team.
General Kurilla also met with officers and soldiers stationed at various locations, including Baghdad, Ain al-Assad Air Base, and Erbil Airfield, all of which were the center focus of Resistance operations.
After entering Syria by land without the country's consent, coming from Iraq, CENTCOM's top commander toured multiple occupation bases to evaluate the force's readiness amid ongoing Resistance operations.
“These visits provide valuable insights you cannot get without traveling to the region and seeing it first-hand," said the General.
Just in the past two days, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed responsibility for three separate operations against US occupation bases in Syria; al-Shadadi, al-Tanf, and al-Rukban military bases. The attacks were carried out using drones, all achieving direct hits, according to the Resistance group.
🚨 Watch the Islamic Resistance in Iraq targeting the American military occupation base Ain al-Assad 🇮🇶 pic.twitter.com/SVL6Q4JWyt
— أبو سجاد الكربلائي | HST 🇮🇶 (@Twelver313) December 13, 2023
