Islamic State fighters and their families leaving Lebanon on Monday after the Lebanese Army, in coordination with Hezbollah and the Syrian Army, arranged for hundreds to be given safe passage to Syria. The decision has drawn criticism. Credit Omar Sanadiki/Reuters
New York Times: U.S. Airstrikes Block Convoy Transferring ISIS Fighters
BEIRUT, Lebanon — American airstrikes stranded a convoy of Islamic State fighters in the middle of Syria on Wednesday, punctuating the United States military’s anger over a deal struck a few days earlier giving them safe passage to militant-held territory on the border with Iraq.
The airstrikes blocked the road on which the Islamic State convoy of buses and ambulances was traveling. Other American airstrikes hit militants apparently racing to the join the stranded militants, according to the spokesman for the American-led military coalition in Iraq and Syria, Col. Ryan Dillon.
“Earlier today, we did conduct strikes to crater the road, and we destroyed a small bridge to prevent that convoy from moving further east,” Colonel Dillon said.
“The convoy of buses and ambulances has not been struck, but there have been individual vehicles and individuals clearly identified as ISIS, and we did strike those,” Colonel Dillon said. “If we can strike ISIS where we’re able to do so without harming civilians, we will do that.” The Islamic State is also known as ISIS or ISIL.
Colonel Dillon said the airstrikes had stopped the ISIS convoy before it reached militant-held territory, which meant the stranded fighters were deep within an area dominated by the Syrian government and its allies.
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WNU Editor: Apparently not all of them were stopped .... Daesh militants reach eastern Syria after Lebanon deal (Daily Star/AFP).
More News On The U.S.-Led Coalition Launching Air Strikes In Syria To Block Hezbollah-Islamic State Evacuation Deal
US-led strike in Syria blocks IS fighters evacuated from Lebanon -- AFP
U.S.-led jets strike in Syria to block Islamic State evacuation deal -- Reuters
US Disrupts Evacuation of IS Militants in Syria -- US News and World Report/AP
US-led strikes in Syria block IS militants evacuated from Lebanon -- BBC
Coalition strikes roads to prevent ISIS convoy from evacuating border area with Lebanon -- CNN
US coalition bombs road to block ISIS movement from Syria into Iraq -- Washington Examiner
US targets ISIS convoy that agreed to leave Lebanon under Hezbollah deal -- RT
The Latest: Hezbollah defends transfer of IS militants -- Washington Post/AP
ISIS negotiates safe exit from Lebanese border in air-conditioned buses -- USA Today
ISIL evacuation deal angers Iraq -- Al Jazeera
Daesh evacuation deal from Lebanon border angers Iraq, US-led coalition -- Daily Sabah/AP
Iraq rattled by Hezbollah-Islamic State evacuation deal -- Iraqi News
Why did Syria, Hezbollah bus ISIS fighters near Iraq? -- The Jerusalem Post
