An American military airstrike has killed a senior Islamic State official in eastern Syria, the U.S. Central Command said in a statement released Sunday.
The Centcom statement said the MQ-9 Reaper drones that carried out the attack Friday were the same drones shown on video being harassed for nearly two hours by Russian fighter jets in the region earlier in the day.
The statement gave few details on Usamah al-Muhajir, the ISIS leader targeted in the attack, but said there were “no indications that any civilians were killed in this strike.”
“We have made it clear that we remain committed to the defeat of ISIS throughout the region,” Army Gen. Michael “Erik” Kurilla, commander of U.S. Central Command, said in the statement. “ISIS remains a threat, not only to the region but well beyond.”
Eastern Syria presents a confusing battlefield with multiple players. The Pentagon retains a small force inside Syria battling Islamic State and other terror groups, while the Syrian government, allies Iran and Russia, anti-government rebels and a U.S.-allied force of Syrian Kurds all jockey for space and influence.
• David R. Sands can be reached at dsands@washingtontimes.com.
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