Syria Says Rare U.S. Raid in Government-Held Zone Kills One

AMMAN (Reuters) – Syrian state media said on Thursday that U.S. special forces carried out a rare operation in a government-held village in the country’s northeast, killing one person and capturing others.

The operation took place in an area of Hasakeh province, which is partly held by government forces and partly held by U.S.-backed Kurdish fighters.

The United States has carried out previous raids in Syria to target members of the Islamic State group, but Thursday’s operation would be the first known raid in a government-held area.

Syrian state media’s social channel said helicopters had descended on the village of Muluk Saray but it did not say who the individual killed was.

Several residents of the area confirmed the raid to Reuters.

One said that U.S. helicopters landed in the village after midnight and told residents by loudspeaker to stay indoors and keep their lights off. The resident said the operation lasted several hours and that there was no exchange of fire with the U.S. troops.

A spokesperson for the U.S.-led coalition formed to fight Islamic State did not immediately respond to a request for comment.