Capture Important ISIS Officials In Syria, US Military: Improve Our Capability To Find And Target Terrorists

JAKARTA - United States troops have arrested an ISIS official in a helicopter attack in northern Syria, Washington said.

Abu Halil Al Fadani, described as an operational official and facilitated the terrorist group, was arrested by troops from the US CENTCOM on September 23.

"The arrest of ISIS officials like Al Fadani increases our ability to find, target and remove terrorists from the battlefield," US CENTCOM spokesman Lt. Col. Troy Garlock said.

It is known that about 900 US troops are in Syria as part of the United States-led coalition to defeat ISIS, which maintains its presence in Iraq and Syria.

US troops themselves regularly carry out helicopter attacks and airstrikes against ISIS militant suspects in northern Syria.

"Al Fadani is considered to have links to all ISIS networks in the region," US CENTCOM said.

It is known that the remnants of ISIS often carried out attacks on the Syrian Democratic Forces led by Kurdish, a major US ally in the fight against the terrorist group.

Senior US officials have previously warned that ISIS could return to Syria "within one to two years" if American troops leave the country.

US troops are also staying in Iraq, where coalition forces frequently launched airstrikes against ISIS suspects in the northern Hamrin Mountains.

However, their presence drew criticism with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani saying Baghdad no longer needed US troops in its country.

Iraq has now formed a joint committee with the US to explore "future relations" with the international coalition.