US says strike in Syria killed Al-Qaeda affiliate official

Syria - The US military said Sunday it killed a member of an Al-Qaeda affiliate organization in a precision airstrike in Syria.

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Sunday it killed a member of an Al-Qaeda affiliate organization in a precision airstrike in Syria.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Sunday it killed a member of an Al-Qaeda affiliate organization in a precision airstrike in Syria.  © Abdulaziz KETAZ / AFP

US Central Command (CENTCOM) said it conducted the strike Saturday "in Northwest Syria targeting and killing a senior finance and logistics official in the terrorist organization Hurras al-Din (HaD), an Al-Qaeda affiliate," according to a statement on X.

CENTCOM did not identify its target.

The strike was conducted "to disrupt and degrade efforts by terrorists to plan, organize, and conduct attacks against civilians and military personnel" from the US and allies, the statement continued.

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On January 30, CENTCOM killed another senior operative in Hurras al-Din, Muhammad Salah al-Zabir, in an air strike.

The US-based SITE Intelligence Group said Hurras al-Din was founded in February 2018.

The group did not publicly confirm its allegiance to Al-Qaeda until its dissolution announcement last month.

The US designated Hurras al-Din as a "terrorist" organization in 2019 and has offered financial rewards for information on several of its members.

"We will continue to relentlessly pursue terrorists in order to defend our homeland, and US, allied, and partner personnel in the region," CENTCOM General Michael Erik Kurilla said in a statement.

Cover photo: Abdulaziz KETAZ / AFP

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