TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – Officials at U.S. Central Command in Tampa are focused on events half way around the world. CENTCOM is responsible for waging the War on Terror.
Despite recent horrific attacks in France and other countries, CENTCOM commanders believe their strategy in the war against ISIL is starting to see progress. “Right now we believe the approach that we are taking, which is to enable the indigenous forces in Iraq and Syria, it’s working,” CENTCOM Spokesperson Colonel Patrick Ryder said.
Colonel Ryder says local forces in Iraq and Syria are starting to see gains on the ground with the backing of US-led air strikes.
“We definitely have seen a significant reduction in the amount of territory that they hold in Iraq and Syria and the reason for that is that over time as this campaign has progressed. You’ve got coalition; you’ve got indigenous forces putting constant pressure on ISIL on multiple places around the battlefield,” he said.
CENTCOM is also seeing a change in the forces that are opposing troops in Iraq and Syria.
“You’re starting to see a cumulative effect in terms of their moral, their ability to generate combat power, their resources, and so again, we do recognize that it’s going to take time. It’s going to be a tough fight, but the momentum is moving in the right direction,” Colonel Ryder said.
However, along with the gains, there has been an increase in terror attacks attributed to ISIL in other countries. Colonel Ryder says the loss of territory in Iraq and Syria by ISIL is the reason for the increase in terror attacks in other parts of the world.
“As we take that territory away, we decrease their legitimacy, which effects their ability to recruit world wide but that’s a reason you going to see these kind of terrorist attacks from ISIL as they lose their momentum and lose their territory,” Colonel Ryder said.
On Friday President Barack Obama condemned the most recent terror attack in France, while saying the world can not give in.
“We will not be deterred. We will not relent. We’re going to keep working together to prevent attacks and defend our homeland; we’re going to keep taking out ISIL leaders and pushing ISIL back in Syria and Iraq. We’re going to keep standing with our partners from Africa to Afghanistan. We’re going to destroy this vile terrorist organization,” the president said.
