Summary:On September 22, U.S. military forces launched strikes against Syria-based terrorists referred to by U.S. officials as the "Khorasan Group," whose members President Obama has described as "seasoned Al Qaeda operatives in Syria." According to Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes, the group "includes some former al Qaeda operatives, core al Qaeda operatives from Afghanistan and Pakistan [a region historically known as Khorasan] who made their way to Syria." Rhodes added that the Administration views the Khorasan Group as "an extension of the threat posed by al Qaeda and their associated forces. These are individuals who have their origin, their history serving in al Qaeda." Other U.S. officials and independent observers report that the group's members may hold leadership roles in the Al Qaeda-affiliated Syrian insurgent organization known as Jabhat al Nusra (the Support Front), which the United States has designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO). Former CIA Deputy Director Mike Morell has described the "Khorasan Group" as "the external operations arm" of Jabhat al Nusra, saying its members "came from Pakistan" and "focus on attacks in the West." Despite this reported affiliation, some observers believe the approximately 50 to 100 members of the "Khorasan Group" focus primarily on planning international terrorist acts, rather than aiding Jabhat al Nusra's efforts to topple the Asad regime.
