US secures Syria oil fields after killing 'IS' leader
October 28, 2019
White House officials have warned groups against attacking US positions, saying they would be met "with overwhelming military force." The defense secretary said US troops "will remain" for the foreseeable future.
During a Pentagon press briefing, Esper said the US would respond "with overwhelming military force" against any actor that "threatens the safety of our forces" in Syria.
"At the height of Baghdadi's reign, these oil fields provided ISIS with the bulk of financial resources used to fund its terror," Esper said, referring to the group by an alternative acronym. "US troops will remain in this strategic area to deny ISIS access to those vital resources."
The defense secretary noted that the oil fields also serve as a "critical source of funding" for the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which spearheaded the fight against IS with US support. He said the oil fields help the SDF "secure ISIS prison camps and conduct operations" against the group.
US President Donald Trump on Sunday announced that al-Baghdadi was killed during a US operation. The IS leader detonated explosives strapped to a suicide vest he was wearing when he ran into a dead end in an underground tunnel. The explosion killed three of his children.
"Baghdadi and the thugs who follow him were responsible for some of the most brutal atrocities of our time," Esper said. "His death marks a devastating blow for the remnants of [IS], who are now deprived of their inspirational leader following the destruction of their physical caliphate earlier this year."
The remains of al-Baghdadi have been buried at sea at an unnamed location, US officials told Reuters. It was similar to the 2011 sea burial of al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden after his death in a US special forces raid in Pakistan.
"We have to be clear with ourselves that the fight against IS as a whole is definitely not over," Maas said. "I'm sure that it will be expected of Germany — and rightly so — that we take part in the fight against the Islamic State, and we take responsibility for that."
IS has gone from an obscure al-Qaida splinter group to a global phenomenon. DW takes a look at the defining aspects of the jihadi group — from its "caliphate" to its tactics.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/Al-Furqan
Where did it come from?
The "Islamic State" (IS) — also known as ISIL, ISIS and Daesh — is an al-Qaida splinter group with a militant Sunni Islamist ideology. It emerged in the aftermath of the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 and is led by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Their goal is to create a worldwide "caliphate." It gained worldwide notoriety in 2014 after a blitzkrieg military campaign that resulted in the capture of Mosul.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo
Where does it operate?
IS is believed to be operational in more than a dozen countries across the world. It controls territories in Iraq and Syria. However, the group has lost much of the territory it controlled in Iraq and Syria at the height of its expansion in 2014.
Who is fighting back?
The US leads an international coalition of more than 50 countries, including several Arab nations. Russia, Iran and its Lebanese Shiite ally Hezbollah, which all support the Syrian government, also fight IS. Regional forces such as the Kurdish peshmerga (above) and US-backed Syrian Kurdish fighters, fight IS on the ground. The Iraqi army and militia have pushed IS from large parts of the country.
Image: picture-alliance/abaca/H. Huseyin
How does it fund itself?
One of IS' main sources of income has been oil and gas. At one point, it controlled an estimated one-third of Syria's oil production. However, US-led airstrikes deliberately targeted oil resources and the Syrian government as well as US-backed Syrian Kurdish fighters have retaken most oil wells. Other means of income include taxes, ransom, selling looted antiquities and extortion.
Image: Getty Images/J. Moore
Where does it carry out attacks?
IS has claimed responsibility for numerous terrorist attacks across the globe. The militant group has targeted capitals across the EU, including Berlin, Brussels and Paris. IS leaders have encouraged so-called "lone wolf" attacks, whereby individuals who support IS carry out terrorist acts without the direct involvement of the group.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/M. Spingler
What other tactics does it use?
The group uses various tactics to expand its power. IS fighters have looted and destroyed historical artifacts in Syria and Iraq in an attempt at "cultural cleansing." The group has also enslaved thousands of women from religious minority groups, including Yazidis. IS also uses a sophisticated social network to distribute propaganda and recruit sympathizers.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/J. Eid
How has it impacted the region?
IS has further exacerbated the ongoing Syrian conflict. Millions of Syrians and Iraqis have fled their homes, many traveling to Europe in pursuit of refuge. Although it has lost all of its strongholds, the militant group has left extraordinary destruction in its wake. Areas affected by the militant group's rule will likely take years to rebuild.
