Close quarters combat

U.S. Troops Fought ‘Hand to Hand’ in Syria Raid

U.S. Special Operations Forces met resistance and had to fight “hand to hand” in Friday night’s raid in al-Amr in southeastern Syria that killed ISIS senior commander Abu Sayyaf, defense officials told The Daily Beast. Troops from the U.S. Army's elite Delta Force flew into the scene in Ospreys and Black Hawk helicopters, landing near a multi-story building and meeting fierce resistance as they entered, the officials said. The troops engaged in close quarters combat with the target and his body guards, even trading blows “hand to hand” as they rushed the targets, two of the defense officials said.