According to the US Central Command, an ISIS leader in Eastern Syria was killed in a drone strike conducted on July 7.
The command revealed that the attack employed MQ-9 drones, which had earlier encountered Russian aircraft, resulting in a nearly two-hour-long confrontation. The statement provided no further details about the deceased leader, Usamah al-Muhajir.
In the past year, Washington has intensified its operations against suspected ISIS operatives in Syria, targeting and apprehending several leaders who had sought refuge in areas under the control of Turkey-backed rebels after the group lost its remaining territory in Syria in 2019. The US-led campaign, which successfully eliminated former ISIS head Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, self-proclaimed as the “caliph of all Muslims,” has subsequently focused on dismantling the organization’s remaining leadership, many of whom are believed to have orchestrated international attacks.
US military commanders emphasize that ISIS still poses a significant threat in the region, despite having suffered setbacks and weakened its ability to rebuild its network.
At its peak in 2014, the Islamic State controlled a third of Iraq and Syria. Although it has been pushed back in both countries, its militants continue to engage in insurgent activities.
