ABSTRACT
This chapter offers a first-hand account of the Special Operations Forces mission to defeat the Islamic State in Syria. The authors—a Special Forces company commander, three Special Forces detachment commanders, and a civil affairs detachment commander—write about their experiences supporting the Syrian Democratic Forces as part of Operation Inherent Resolve in 2018. They describe some of the challenges faced when working with a partner force to defeat a terrorist organization that controlled a large portion of the country. Compounding the situation was the constant threat of pro-regime forces backed by Russia and Iran. The authors were largely successful in their mission to retake the Islamic State-controlled territory, and they offer a number of lessons gained from their experience.
