Posted on Nov 25, 2016
U.S. service member killed in Syria on Thanksgiving
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A U.S. service member was killed in northern Syria on Thursday, marking the first known American combat death there in a steadily escalating campaign against the Islamic State group.
The improvised explosive attack occurred near Ayn Issa, according to the U.S. military. The town is about 35 miles north of Raqqa, the Islamic State's self-proclaimed capital. Coalition forces have focused their attention there in recent weeks, saying intelligence assessments have suggested militants in the city are actively plotting terror attacks against the U.S. and its allies.
U.S. officials have not identified the fallen American, pending family notification. It's unclear whether any other personnel were wounded in the attack. No other information was released.
"The entire counter-ISIL Coalition sends our condolences to this hero's family, friends and teammates," said Lt. Gen. Stephen J. Townsend, commander of Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve. "On this Thanksgiving, please be thankful that there are service members willing to take up the fight to protect our homeland from ISIL's hateful and brutal ideology."
ISIL is another name for the Islamic State group.
There are approximately 300 American troops on the ground inside Syria. The preponderance are special operations forces advising various militias also battling the Islamic State.
Backed by U.S. airstrikes, Syrian Kurdish forces began to target key areas around Raqqa earlier this month. Townsend has said the effort in Syria will involve far fewer U.S. troops overall than operations in neighboring Iraq, where about 5,000 American personnel are deployed. Many are supporting the ongoing fight to retake Mosul, another important Islamic State stronghold.
However, military analysts have said defeating the Islamic State in Raqqa will require substantial ground combat power. It's been suggested the U.S. could quietly deploy hundreds of additional special operations troops without a public announcement by categorizing them as “temporary duty” personnel.
Defense Secretary Ash Carter called Thursday's attack "a painful reminder of the dangers our men and women in uniform face around the world to keep us safe."
The improvised explosive attack occurred near Ayn Issa, according to the U.S. military. The town is about 35 miles north of Raqqa, the Islamic State's self-proclaimed capital. Coalition forces have focused their attention there in recent weeks, saying intelligence assessments have suggested militants in the city are actively plotting terror attacks against the U.S. and its allies.
U.S. officials have not identified the fallen American, pending family notification. It's unclear whether any other personnel were wounded in the attack. No other information was released.
"The entire counter-ISIL Coalition sends our condolences to this hero's family, friends and teammates," said Lt. Gen. Stephen J. Townsend, commander of Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve. "On this Thanksgiving, please be thankful that there are service members willing to take up the fight to protect our homeland from ISIL's hateful and brutal ideology."
ISIL is another name for the Islamic State group.
There are approximately 300 American troops on the ground inside Syria. The preponderance are special operations forces advising various militias also battling the Islamic State.
Backed by U.S. airstrikes, Syrian Kurdish forces began to target key areas around Raqqa earlier this month. Townsend has said the effort in Syria will involve far fewer U.S. troops overall than operations in neighboring Iraq, where about 5,000 American personnel are deployed. Many are supporting the ongoing fight to retake Mosul, another important Islamic State stronghold.
However, military analysts have said defeating the Islamic State in Raqqa will require substantial ground combat power. It's been suggested the U.S. could quietly deploy hundreds of additional special operations troops without a public announcement by categorizing them as “temporary duty” personnel.
Defense Secretary Ash Carter called Thursday's attack "a painful reminder of the dangers our men and women in uniform face around the world to keep us safe."
U.S. service member killed in Syria on Thanksgiving
Posted from militarytimes.comPosted in these groups: 
Death
Thanksgiving
Death Thanksgiving
Posted 8 y ago
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Earlier today we learned another US Service member had been killed while embedded in the Kurdish Peshmerga forces in Iraq SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL Recapturing previously captured terrain is incredibly hard for combat ground soldiers - emotionally and physically because the enemy tends to improve the defenses significantly since the last battles
I expect both U.S. service-members were special operations forces members based on the fact that they were killed while embedded with Kurdish forces - Peshmerga forces in Iraq and Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces in northern Syria.
Prayers for their families which will no doubt be grieving when they learn their service member has been killed.
I expect both U.S. service-members were special operations forces members based on the fact that they were killed while embedded with Kurdish forces - Peshmerga forces in Iraq and Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces in northern Syria.
Prayers for their families which will no doubt be grieving when they learn their service member has been killed.
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This is a sad record for a the Special Forces community we've lost over half a dozen men. This is all the second and third order of effects for leaving Iraq without a peace deal. I'm sure the war in Syria would have been nothing because Isis would have been a little punk game and not the Zombie Army that manifested itself. It's because of this kind of situation is why we have a new president people got fed up the vote the bums out actually works for once. Hopefully it won't be like that song from The Who meet the new boss same as the old boss. I have hope that Donald Trump has the best people he can get to prevent Wars like this from happening again. My condolences to the families from all our troops soldiers Sailors Airmen and Marines Coast Guard who have been fighting since 2003 and some who gave their lives like my first sergeant did first sergeant blue Rowe in Afghanistan May, 2009.
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this Is Another Hard hit to the SF Community... and to the Trooper in Iraq...
May He RIP
prayers and Condolences to the Families...
DOL....
May He RIP
prayers and Condolences to the Families...
DOL....
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