Statement by Secretary of Defense Ash Carter on Counter-ISIL Operation in Syria

Washington, DC–(ENEWSPF)–May 16, 2015.  Last night, at the direction of the Commander in Chief, I ordered U.S. Special Operations Forces to conduct an operation in al-Amr in eastern Syria to capture an ISIL senior leader known as Abu Sayyaf and his wife Umm Sayyaf. Abu Sayyaf was involved in ISIL’s military operations and helped direct the terrorist organization’s illicit oil, gas, and financial operations as well.