The United States has announced the death of Abu Yusif, also known as Mahmud, a key leader of the Islamic State (IS), in an airstrike conducted in eastern Syria,leadership reports.
The US Central Command (Centcom) confirmed that the strike also killed another IS operative. The operation targeted a region previously controlled by the Syrian regime and Russian forces.
General Michael Erik Kurilla, commander of Centcom, reiterated the United States’ commitment to preventing IS from exploiting Syria’s current instability.
“The United States, in partnership with allies and regional partners, will not allow ISIS to take advantage of the situation in Syria to regroup,” Kurilla stated.
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He also highlighted IS’s ongoing destabilizing activities, including attempts to liberate over 8,000 operatives detained in Syrian facilities. “We will continue to aggressively target IS leaders and operatives, especially those involved in external operations,” he added.
The strike occurred amidst significant political upheaval in Syria. Following the recent overthrow of Bashar al-Assad, the former Syrian president fled to Russia after a rapid offensive by the Islamist rebel coalition Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. This marked the end of Assad’s 14-year rule and a pivotal shift in Syria’s turbulent history.
