US Army Col. Myles Caggins, a spokesman for the coalition, says the F-15E fighter jet strikes were pre-planned and destroyed ammunition stored at the Lafarge Cement Factory, which had served as a coordination center for the US-led coalition and Kurdish forces in the fight against terrorists.
On Oct. 16, after all #Coalition personnel and essential tactical equipment departed, two Coalition F-15Es successfully conducted a pre-planned precision airstrike at the Lafarge Cement Factory to destroy an ammunition cache and reduce the facility’s military usefulness.
— OIR Spokesman Col. Myles B. Caggins III (@OIRSpox) October 16, 2019
According to Caggins, all coalition personnel and “essential tactical equipment” had left the base before the strike.
The US announced the withdrawal of its troops from northern Syria on 9 October. Shortly after that, Turkey launched its latest operation, dubbed ‘Operation Peace Spring’, sparkling concerns from its NATO allies, with several countries announcing a halt in arms sales to the country, while the US has announced sanctions against Turkish officials and entities, including the country’s defence and energy ministries.
