November 6, 2014
Release #20141105
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TAMPA, Fla., Nov. 6, 2014
— U.S. military forces conducted airstrikes last night against five
Khorasan Group targets in the vicinity of Sarmada, Syria, using bomber,
fighter and remotely piloted aircraft. All aircraft exited the strike
areas safely.
We are still assessing the outcome of the attack,
but have initial indications that it resulted in the intended effects by
striking terrorists and destroying or severely damaging several
Khorasan Group vehicles and buildings assessed to be meeting and staging
areas, IED-making facilities and training facilities. These strikes
were undertaken only by U.S. assets.
The Khorasan Group is a term
used to refer to a network of Nusrah Front and al-Qa'ida core extremists
who share a history of training operatives, facilitating fighters and
money, and planning attacks against U.S. and Western targets. These
strikes were not in response to the Nusrah Front's clashes with the
Syrian moderate opposition, and they did not target the Nusrah Front as a
whole. They were directed at the Khorasan Group whose focus is not on
overthrowing the Assad regime or helping the Syrian people. These
al-Qa'ida operatives are taking advantage of the Syrian conflict to
advance attacks against Western interests.
This network was
plotting to attack in Europe or the homeland, and we took decisive
action to protect our interests and remove their capability to act. We
will continue to take any action necessary to disrupt attack plotting
against U.S. interests.