In a development carrying significant strategic weight, the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) announced today that American forces, in coordination with Syria’s transitional Ministry of Interior, have conducted a sweeping joint operation targeting remaining Islamic State (ISIS) positions in southern Syria.
Between 24 and 27 November, coalition reconnaissance teams, working in close partnership with Syrian counterparts, identified and destroyed more than fifteen ISIS weapons caches in the Damascus countryside. According to CENTCOM’s official statement, the seizures included over 130 artillery shells of various calibres, heavy machine guns, anti-tank mines, raw materials for improvised explosive devices, and—underscoring the group’s continued criminal undertakings—quantities of narcotics.
Admiral Brad Cooper, CENTCOM’s commander, hailed the operation as “a successful partnership with Syria’s Ministry of Interior that locks in enduring gains against Daesh.” He emphasised that such actions “undermine the group’s ability to reconstitute its capabilities or export terrorism to the United States and the broader international community.” He added that American forces “will remain vigilant and relentlessly pursue ISIS remnants across Syria.”
The announcement comes just weeks after Syria officially joined the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS on 12 November, becoming the alliance’s 90th member. This step followed President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s landmark visit to Washington on 10 November, during which he held direct talks with US President Donald Trump. The discussions reportedly focused on Syria’s integration into international counterterrorism efforts.
In the desolate terrain south of Damascus—once a stronghold for ISIS where the group’s black flags flew unchecked—the echoes of exploding munitions now mark a shift. These joint operations, underpinned by shared intelligence and coordinated strikes, signal a new chapter in a campaign that was previously conducted in parallel, if not in competition. For the first time since the onset of the Syrian conflict, American forces and Syrian sovereignty are moving, however tentatively, in the same direction against a mutual adversary.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
