The United States military has announced the killing of a militant it described as a seasoned terrorist leader connected to the December assault that claimed the lives of two American soldiers and a US interpreter in Syria.
In a statement on Saturday, the US Central Command said the target, Bilal Hasan al-Jasim, was eliminated during an operation carried out on Friday in north-western Syria.
CENTCOM disclosed via X that al-Jasim maintained ties with Al-Qaeda and had direct communication with the fighter who led the December 13 attack on American troops.
Reacting to the development, CENTCOM commander, Gen. Brad Cooper, said the strike underscored the US commitment to hunting down militants involved in attacks on its personnel.
“The death of a terrorist operative linked to the deaths of three Americans demonstrates our resolve in pursuing terrorists who attack our forces,” he stated, vowing that those who plot or execute assaults on US forces would be found.
Since the December incident, Washington has launched multiple retaliatory operations targeting Islamic State elements in Syria. US intelligence believes the extremist group orchestrated the ambush.
The US heads an international coalition deployed to combat the Islamic State in Syria and neighbouring Iraq, a mission that began in 2014 after the group overran swathes of both countries.
Despite losing territorial control, Islamic State cells remain active across the region and continue to stage hit-and-run attacks.