A strike on Friday resulted in the death of al-Muhajer, ISIL leader in eastern Syria, says CENTCOM.
The United States military says it has killed a leader of the ISIL (ISIS) group in eastern Syria in a drone strike.
The strike on Friday resulted in the death of Osama al-Muhajer, the US Central Command said in a statement on Sunday.
KEEP READING
list of 3 items
Vital aid access for Syria to be voted on again at the UNSC
Syrian refugee sworn in as mayor of German town
Syria cracked down on Wagner after mutiny in Russia: Report
end of list
“We have made it clear that we remain committed to the defeat of ISIS throughout the region,” US Central Command (CENTCOM) chief General Michael Kurilla said, using another acronym for the ISIL armed group.
“ISIS remains a threat, not only to the region but well beyond,” he added.
According to CENTCOM, no civilians were killed in the operation but coalition forces are “assessing reports of a civilian injury”.
It said the drones used in the attack had been harassed by Russian warplanes earlier in the day.
Friday’s strike, Centcom said, “was conducted by the same MQ-9s [drones] that had … been harassed by Russian aircraft in an encounter that had lasted almost two hours”.
US drones taking part in operations against ISIL in Syria were harassed by Russian military aircraft on Thursday for the second time in 24 hours, a US commander said at the time.
Air Force Lieutenant General Alexus Grynkewich said the planes “dropped flares in front of the drones and flew dangerously close, endangering the safety of all aircraft involved”.
In another incident on Wednesday, three Russian jets dropped parachute flares in front of US drones, forcing them to take evasive action, Grynkewich has said, calling on Moscow to “cease this reckless behaviour”.
