ISIS leader killed in US helicopter raid in Northern Syria

The US central command (CENTCOM) announced on its official twitter that a terrorist, who was probably a senior leader and operational planner of ISIS, was targeted in a helicopter raid by the US military in northern Syria. According to the declaration, two armed individuals have also died in the operation. In the statement of CENTCOM, it was stated that the ISIS leader was responsible for planning terrorist attacks in the Middle East and Europe. Local media reported that the operation was conducted in Jarablus, on the Turkish border, in a region under the control of paramilitary groups backed by the Turkish Armed Forces. According to the Syrian Observatory For Human Rights (SOHR) sources, heavy clashes ensued after the airstrike on the building where the ISIS commander was residing.

The declaration quoted General Michael Erik Kurilla, the commander of CENTCOM: “Though degraded, ISIS remains able to conduct operations within the region with a desire to strike beyond the Middle East. We will continue the relentless campaign against ISIS.” The announcement, released on April 17, concludes with the words of Joe Buccino, a CENTCOM spokesperson: “”This operation reaffirms CENTCOM’s steadfast commitment to the region and the enduring defeat of ISIS.” The additional details will be provided anytime soon.

While operations to defeat the Islamic State proceed, ISIS continues to carry out attacks targeting security forces as well as civilians in Syria in order to resurge. The SOHR has published several reports on the attacks of ISIS this year. In February, 75 women and men were kidnapped by ISIS cells while collecting truffles in the Syrian desert. The SOHR evaluates the incidents as ‘an exploitation by the ISIS cells of the preoccupation of the international community and local authorities by the disaster of the devastating earthquake which hit Syria on February 6’. In the same month, ISIS cells opened fire on an Internal Security Forces (Asayiş) checkpoint in Deir ez-Zor, killing an Asayiş member and wounding others. In the last attack of the terrorist organization on 16 April in the eastern countryside of Hama, central West Syria, 26 citizens were massacred.