Key Islamic State figure is killed in Syria drone strike, U.S. says
A top leader of the Islamic State terrorist organization was killed in a U.S. drone strike Tuesday in northwest Syria, the White House and U.S. military announced, an operation that officials said would undercut the group’s ability to plan and carry out attacks globally.
Maher al-Agal, who worked “aggressively” on building the group’s networks outside of Iraq and Syria, according to the U.S. military, was one of two targets of the strike outside Jindires, about 35 miles northwest of Aleppo. Agal was considered to be one of the top five Islamic State leaders in Iraq and Syria, U.S. officials said.
A second individual closely associated with him, whom the military did not identify, was “seriously injured” in the strike, according to U.S. Central Command. A humanitarian group with personnel on the ground said the person eventually died of his wounds. U.S. military officials did not immediately confirm that report.
President Joe Biden praised the development, saying it “represents the culmination of determined and meticulous intelligence work and stands as testament to the bravery and skill of our armed forces.”
“It also demonstrates that the United States does not require thousands of troops in combat missions to identify and eliminate threats to our country,”
Biden said in a statement. The U.S. military footprint in the Middle East has been significantly reduced in recent years as Washington contends with threats posed by China in the IndoPacific region, as well as Russia’s pronounced aggression in Europe.U.S. officials, citing an initial review, said no civilians were harmed in the attack.
Tuesday’s operation occurred in a village called Khaltan, according to the White Helmets, a team of first responders that works in northwest Syria. In a message posted on Twitter early Tuesday afternoon, the group affirmed that one person was killed and another was wounded after a drone struck, targeting a motorcycle. In a subsequent post, the group said that the second person had later died.
The White Helmets posted a picture, showing shrapnel on a road in a rural area, surrounded by what appeared to be olive groves. The area, near the Turkish border, is controlled by Turkish-backed Syrian rebels.
Other Syrian social media accounts posted pictures of a severely wounded man purported to be the second passenger, as well as the mangled remains of the motorcycle.
The strike came a day ahead of Biden’s planned visit to the Middle East, where he will visit with Israeli, Palestinian, Saudi and other Arab leaders. Biden is expected to focus on promoting regional security cooperation in response to Iran.