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The leader of the Islamic State terrorist group in Syria was killed on Tuesday by an attack with American drones.
Maher al-Agal, whom military officials describe as “one of the top five ISIS leaders and ISIS leaders in Syria,” was ousted after being attacked near Jindayris, northwest of Syria. country.
“This strike reaffirms CENTCOM’s firm commitment to the region and the enduring defeat of ISIS,” Colonel Joe Buccino, a spokesman for Central Command, said in a statement. “The removal of these ISIS leaders will disrupt the terrorist organization’s ability to continue to plot and carry out global attacks.”
Maher, according to defense officials, was “responsible for aggressively pursuing the development of ISIS networks outside of Iraq and Syria.”
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A masked Islamic State soldier puts up the ISIS flag in 2015. (History Images / Universal Image Group via Getty Images)
CENTCOM also says that “a senior ISIS official closely linked to Maher was seriously injured during the strike.”
“This operation was extensively planned to ensure its successful execution,” he added. “An initial review indicates there were no civilian casualties.”
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Despite eliminating Maher, Buccino said that “ISIS continues to pose a threat to the US and its partners in the region.
“CENTCOM maintains a sufficient and sustainable presence in the region and will continue to fight threats to regional security,” he added.
Fox News’ Jennifer Griffin contributed to this report.