US eliminates ISIS leader in Syria
Abu Yusif was killed in an airstrike by U.S. forces in the northeast of the Arab country. "The United States — working with allies and partners in the region — will not allow ISIS to take advantage of the current situation in Syria and reconstitute," said the head of U.S. Central Command.
An ISIS member with the terrorist group's flag.
The United States eliminated Abu Yusif, the leader of the Islamic State (ISIS) terrorist group, Thursday in the Deir ez-Zor province in northeastern Syria, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) reported in the past few hours.
U.S. forces said it was a precision airstrike carried out in an area previously controlled by the recently ousted regime of Bashar al-Assad and Russia. It added that another member of the terrorist organization was also killed in the operation.
The United States 'will not allow ISIS to take advantage of the current situation in Syria and reconstitute'
"This airstrike is part of CENTCOM’s ongoing commitment, along with partners in the region, to disrupt and degrade efforts by terrorists to plan, organize, and conduct attacks against civilians and military personnel from the U.S., our allies, and our partners throughout the region and beyond," CENTCOM said in a statement.
Gen. Michael Kurilla, CENTCOM commander, said, "As stated before, the United States — working with allies and partners in the region — will not allow ISIS to take advantage of the current situation in Syria and reconstitute."
"ISIS has the intent to break out of detention the over 8,000 ISIS operatives currently being held in facilities in Syria. We will aggressively target these leaders and operatives, including those trying to conduct operations external to Syria," Kurilla added.
U.S. Central Command reported on Dec. 16 that it conducted precision airstrikes against ISIS camps and members in Syria, in which 12 terrorists were eliminated.
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