Statements

Sept. 18, 2022

Statement regarding Syrian Democratic Forces security operation in al-Hol camp

TAMPA, Fla. - Yesterday, our Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) partners completed a security operation in the al-Hol displaced persons camp in northeastern Syria which began on August 25th to eradicate the camp’s ISIS facilitation networks.

“Over the past two days, General Michael ‘Erik’ Kurilla participated in the International Israeli Defense Forces Operational Innovation Conference in Camp Dayan and the Tze’elim Israeli Defense Force Base. A total of 22 nations, 7 Chiefs of General Staff, the US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and more than 2,000 Soldiers and civilians participated in the conference. “The events and sessions allowed deeper mutual understanding of the development and employment of cutting-edge military capabilities. The conference, hosted by Chief of the Israeli General Staff Lieutenant General Aviv Kohavi, was also a critical event in strengthening the cooperation between CENTCOM and the Israeli Defense Forces. “General Kurilla participated in working groups related to multidomain operations, AI-derived intel, the future of warfare, and other topics. He also observed a multidomain live fire involving data-centric AI-based targeting, civilian risk mitigation, mesh-networked drone swarms, unmanned robotic combat vehicles, man-machine teaming, air strikes, rocket and artillery fires, mortars, helicopters, and ground maneuvers.” *Portions of the image altered for security purposes

Sept. 15, 2022

Readout: CENTCOM Commander’s participation in IDF Innovation Conference, September 14 and 15

Colonel Joe Buccino, CENTCOM Communications Director: “Over the past two days, General Michael ‘Erik’ Kurilla participated in the International Israeli Defense Forces Operational Innovation Conference in Camp Dayan and the Tze’elim Israeli Defense Force Base. A total of 22 nations, 7 Chiefs of General Staff, the US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and more than 2,000 Soldiers and civilians participated in the conference.

Sept. 14, 2022

Readout from CENTCOM Commander’s Visit to the Israeli border of the Gaza Strip on Sept. 13

TAMPA, Fla. From Colonel Joe Buccino, CENTCOM Spokesman: “Yesterday, General Michael ‘Erik’ Kurilla, commander of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), visited the Israeli border of the Gaza Strip. There, he met with leaders from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Southern Command and Gaza Division, the IDF forces charged with protecting communities near the Gaza border.

On September 12, General Michael “Erik” Kurilla, commander of U.S. Central Command, traveled to Amman, Jordan to observe Eager Lion 22, the tenth iteration of a biannual multinational training event, which began September 5th and continues through September 15th.

Sept. 13, 2022

General Michael “Erik” Kurilla, commander of U.S. Central Command, traveled to Amman, Jordan to observe the tenth iteration of the multinational training event: Exercise Eager Lion 22, on Sept. 12, 2022

TAMPA, Fla. –General Michael “Erik” Kurilla, commander of U.S. Central Command, traveled to Amman, Jordan to observe the tenth iteration of the multinational training event: Exercise Eager Lion 22, on Sept. 12, 2022 Exercise Eager Lion 22, which began Sept. 4th and runs through Sept.15th includes more than 1,850 American troops training alongside over 2,250 Jordanian troops, as well and nearly 800 troops from 26 additional partner nations. The exercise includes ten CENTCOM partnered militaries: Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Pakistan, and the United Arab Emirates.

General Michael “Erik” Kurilla, commander of U.S. Central Command, visited with Egyptian Minister of Defense General Mohamed Zaki, and Lieutenant-General Osama Askar, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces this week in Cairo. The leaders discussed mutual security concerns, to include methods to improve border security, opportunities to enhance partnered training for counterterror operations, and opportunities to strengthen the U.S.-Egypt military partnership.

Sept. 12, 2022

General Michael “Erik” Kurilla visits with leadership from the Armed Forces of Egypt

TAMPA, Fla. – General Michael “Erik” Kurilla, commander of U.S. Central Command, visited with Egyptian Minister of Defense General Mohamed Zaki, and Lieutenant-General Osama Askar, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces this week in Cairo. The leaders discussed mutual security concerns, to include methods to improve border security, opportunities to enhance partnered training for counterterror operations, and opportunities to strengthen the U.S.-Egypt military partnership.

General Michael “Erik” Kurilla, commander of U.S. Central Command, visited troops from the Multinational Force and Observer (MFO) mission on the Sinai Peninsula, Sept. 10, 2022.

Sept. 10, 2022

Commander, U.S. Central Command, visits troops on the Sinai Peninsula, Sept. 10

General Michael “Erik” Kurilla, commander of U.S. Central Command, visited troops from the Multinational Force and Observer (MFO) mission on the Sinai Peninsula, Sept. 10, 2022.

The SDF mission to clear ISIS from the camp continues. This is a critical, wide-ranging operation which will make the camp safer for all residents. We’ve already seen ISIS members holding women and girls enslaved in chains inside the camp, torturing camp residents, and seeking to spread their vile ideology. Most of the residents seek to escape ISIS, but ISIS sees the camp as a captive audience for its message and recruitment efforts. It is therefore urgent that we repatriate residents back to their countries of origin and rehabilitate them if needed.

Sept. 9, 2022

General Michael “Erik” Kurilla on visiting the al-Hol Camp on Sept. 9

TAMPA, Fla. – First, U.S. Central Command sends its condolences to the families of the two members of the Syrian Democratic Forces killed in a firefight with ISIS in the al-Hol camp on September 8th. I expressed this directly to the leadership of the Syrian Democratic Forces at the camp. The SDF face danger in their effort to clear ISIS from this site and our thoughts are with their fellow SDF troops.

General Michael “Erik” Kurilla, commander of U.S. Central Command, and U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Alina Romanowksi, met with the Iraqi Chief of Staff of the Army Lieutenant General Abdul Amir Rashid Yarallah in Baghdad, on Sept. 8. The leaders discussed the security situation in Baghdad, the effort to ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS, and recent progress made in expanding the capability of the Iraqi Security Forces.

Sept. 9, 2022

GEN Kurilla meets with Iraqi Chief of Staff of the Army on Sept. 8, 2022

Statement from Colonel Joe Buccino, U.S. Central Command communications director: General Michael “Erik” Kurilla, commander of U.S. Central Command, and U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Alina Romanowksi, met with the Iraqi Chief of Staff of the Army Lieutenant General Abdul Amir Rashid Yarallah in Baghdad, on Sept. 8. The leaders discussed the security situation in Baghdad, the effort to ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS, and recent progress made in expanding the capability of the Iraqi Security Forces.

General Michael “Erik” Kurilla, commander of U.S. Central Command, met with Masrour Barzani, Prime Minister of the Kurdish Regional Government in Erbil, Iraq, on Sept. 8. The two leaders discussed matters of mutual interest, to include the ongoing clearing operations in the al-Hol internal displaced persons camp and CENTCOM’s commitment to the enduring defeat of ISIS.

Sept. 9, 2022

GEN Kurilla meets with Prime Minister of the Kurdish Regional Government

Statement from Colonel Joe Buccino, U.S. Central Command communications director: General Michael “Erik” Kurilla, commander of U.S. Central Command, met with Masrour Barzani, Prime Minister of the Kurdish Regional Government in Erbil, Iraq, on Sept. 8. The two leaders discussed matters of mutual interest, to include the ongoing clearing operations in the al-Hol internal displaced persons camp and CENTCOM’s commitment to the enduring defeat of ISIS.

General Michael “Erik” Kurilla, , commander of U.S. Central Command, met with Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Khadima in Baghdad, on Sept 8. The leaders discussed Iraqi security issues of mutual concern. The topics included the ongoing coalition effort towards the enduring defeat of ISIS, opportunities to bolster U.S.-Iraqi military partnership, and the urgent need to repatriate and rehabilitate Iraqi residents of the al-Hol internal displaced persons camp.

Sept. 9, 2022

GEN Kurilla meets with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Khadimi on Sept. 8, 2022.

Statement from Colonel Joe Buccino, U.S. Central Command communications director: General Michael “Erik” Kurilla, commander of U.S. Central Command, met with Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Khadima in Baghdad, on Sept 8. The leaders discussed Iraqi security issues of mutual concern. The topics included the ongoing coalition effort towards the enduring defeat of ISIS, opportunities to bolster U.S.-Iraqi military partnership, and the urgent need to repatriate and rehabilitate Iraqi residents of the al-Hol internal displaced persons camp.