Soldiers with the U.S. Army’s elite Delta Force are on the ground in Iraq and have begun missions to capture or kill top Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL) operatives.
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They’ve been setting up safe houses, establishing and paying off informant networks and gathering intelligence. The Islamic State captured Mosul almost two years ago and has used it as its major stronghold in Iraq.
The United States’ Delta Force will be the primary force involved in a top secret Expeditionary Targeting Force (ETF) conducting a series of operations throughout Iraq.
The plan now is to use the new intelligence gleaned from raids and interrogations to develop further targeting for follow-up missions.
The analyst added that Delta’s “autonomous” way of operating in Syria means that they would not work in coordination with Iraqi and Syrian forces, as well as countries like Russian Federation, which has been carrying out an aerial campaign against Daesh positions in Syria since last September, following a request by Damascus.
The concern among officials is the prospect of capturing bigger numbers of ISIS militants in the coming months especially after the arrival in Iraq of a 200-member Special Operations team of Delta Force commandos.
Several Pentagon and military officials declined to discuss specifics of the so-called Expeditionary Targeting Force. The defense secretary also told reporters that the force would instill “fear” among IS extremists “that anywhere, anytime, they may be struck”.
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“Because of our strategy and our determination to accelerate our campaign, momentum is now on our side and not on ISIL’s”, said U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter.
