American military forces killed a senior Islamic State leader and his two adult sons during an operation in Aleppo, Syria, on Friday morning, U.S. Central Command officials said.
The strike comes just a few weeks after White House officials ordered a drawdown of the U.S. military presence in Syria, which had featured roughly 2,000 troops spread across eight bases in the region. Several hundred have returned to the United States in recent weeks.
Military officials said that Islamic State leader Dhiya’ Zawba Muslih al-Hardani and his ISIS-affiliated sons “posed a threat to U.S. and Coalition Forces, as well as the new Syrian Government.” No information was released on how many personnel were involved in the strike or what equipment was used.
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“We will continue to relentlessly pursue ISIS terrorists wherever they operate,” Gen. Michael Kurilla, head of U.S. Central Command, said in a statement. “ISIS terrorists are not safe where they sleep, where they operate, and where they hide.
“Alongside our partners and allies, U.S. Central Command is committed to the enduring defeat of ISIS terrorists that threaten the region, our allies, and our homeland.”
Military officials said that three women and three children were also nearby the ISIS fighters when the strike occurred, but none of them were harmed.
American military forces have been providing training and support to regional fighters for the last decade as they continue to battle remnants of the Islamic State group. That work came despite U.S. opposition to the government of former dictator Bashar al-Assad, who was toppled in December.
Earlier on Friday, Syria’s Foreign Ministry released a statement said they had met with American and French officials on efforts to “reinforce our cooperation on the shared fight against terrorism in all forms, and strengthen the capacities of the Syrian government to deal with security challenges through institutions of the state.”
Leo covers Congress, Veterans Affairs and the White House for Military Times. He has covered Washington, D.C. since 2004, focusing on military personnel and veterans policies. His work has earned numerous honors, including a 2009 Polk award, a 2010 National Headliner Award, the IAVA Leadership in Journalism award and the VFW News Media award.
