Senior ISIS leader killed in US airstrike in Deir ez-Zor, Syria

Shafaq News/ On Friday, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced the killing of a senior ISIS leader in a "precise" airstrike in Deir ez-Zor province, eastern Syria.

"On Dec. 19, U.S. Central Command Forces conducted a precision airstrike targeting ISIS leader Abu Yusif aka Mahmud in the Dayr az Zawr Province, Syria resulting in two ISIS operatives killed, including Abu Yusif. This strike was conducted in an area formerly controlled by the Syrian regime and Russians," CENTCOM stated on X.

“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," said Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, CENTCOM commander.

Notably, the US military regularly conducts strikes in Syria targeting ISIS militants and other groups that may pose a threat.

The US deploys around 2,000 troops in Syria as part of the Global Coalition that was established in 2014 to combat jihadists who had seized vast areas of Iraq and Syria.

There are growing concerns about the potential resurgence of ISIS in Syria, exploiting the recent fall of Bashar Al-Assad's regime to opposition factions earlier this month.