Delta Force: The US Military's Top Commando Unit That Captured Venezuela President Maduro

Washington: In a major military action, the United States bombed Venezuela's capital, Caracas early on Saturday. Following the attack, US President Donald Trump claimed that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his family have captured by US forces. 

What happened in Caracas?

The US military conducted a large-scale night time operation announced by Donald Trump on social media hours after the attack. The military action by the US follows several months of stepped-up pressure by Washington on the communist regime in Venezuela, which possesses one of the largest petroleum reserves in the world.

Multiple explosions rocked the city as low-flying aircraft swept through Caracas, with Maduro’s government immediately accused the United States of attacking civilian and military installations. The Venezuelan government has called it an “imperialist attack” and urged citizens to take to the streets.

What were Trump’s claims?

Following the airstrikes, Trump took to social media to announce that the US military has taken Maduro and his wife into custody before taking them out of Venezuela. 

"The United States of America has successfully carried out a large scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the country," Trump said in a statement on social media.

Which US military unit captured Maduro?
 
The capture and subsequent flight of Maduro from Venezuela was carried out by a crack special forces unit of the US military, known as Delta Force. This force has previously conducted special operations abroad for the US. It has killed or captured many of America's enemies.

Why is Delta Force special?

The Delta Force is one of the most dangerous and secretive military units not only in the US but in the world. The official name of this anti-terror unit is the First Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta (1st SFOD-D). However, in military circles and common parlance, it is simply called Delta Force.

Delta Force is a Tier 1 Special Mission Unit under the US Army's Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC). This unit handles missions that generally do not make headlines. These include rescuing hostages from enemy territory, tracking and killing US-designated terrorists. Sometimes these operations are so secret that even US lawmakers are unaware of them.

When was Delta Force formed?

The US Army's Delta Force unit was created in the late 1970s, modelled after the British SAS. The purpose of this unit was to provide the US military with a dedicated counter-terrorism force, capable of conducting raids on high-value targets and capturing the enemy, as well as carrying out precision strikes deep inside enemy territory.

What are the major achievements of Delta Force?

The Delta Force had captured and killed Islamic State (ISIS) chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, one of the most dreaded terrorists in the world. The operation against al-Baghdadi had been carried out in 2019. Under Al-Baghdadi, the ISIS had posed a challenge to the US. 

This force also boasts another significant success – they had captured former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. Several other major operations are also credited to this force. 

What has Venezuela said about the US strikes?

Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez stated that his government is unaware about the whereabouts of President Maduro and his wife. 

“We do not know the whereabouts of President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores,” Delcy Rodriguez said during an appearance on a state run television channel. “We demand confirmation that they are both alive.”