On Tuesday, the leader of ISIS was killed in a U.S. air strike from a drone in Syria, according to a Pentagon statement.
The U.S. Central Command said that the U.S. raid killed Maher al-Aqal, the leader of ISIS in Syria and one of the four top ISIS leaders in general.
“Aqal was killed while riding a motorcycle near Jindires in Afrin countryside in northern Syria. One of his top aides was seriously injured,” Pentagon Central Command spokesman, Colonel Dave Eastbourne, told AFP.
On Tuesday, an international coalition drone targeted a motorcycle carrying two people in the village of Khaltan in Afrin countryside, northwest of Aleppo. This comes nearly 15 days after a similar targeting on the outskirts of Idleb.
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Activists said that a drone targeted –using a missile– a motorcycle carrying two people, in the village of Khaltan. The targeting killed one of them immediately, while the second was injured and taken for treatment in a medical hospital. The identity of the targeted people has not yet been revealed.
According to the announcement, the target appears to be the leader of ISIS in Syria and not the leader of the general organization. Media announced last month the arrest of Abu Hassan al-Qurashi, leader of ISIS, while he was in Turkey. The Turkish authorities did not officially announce this, making the picture unclear. The situation may be clarified today, which will confirm the identity of the dead.
On June 27th, drones belonging to the International Coalition forces targeted, before midnight, a motorcycle driven by an unidentified man, on the road between Idleb and the town of Qaminas, killing him instantly. He was later identified as a member of the Guardians of Religion Organization.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
