On Friday, the US military said it shot down the leader of the al-Qaeda extremist group in a drone attack in Syria.
“Today’s American airstrike [sexta-feira] Al-Qaeda leader Abdul Hamid al-Matar has been killed in northwestern Syria, ”said Commander John Rigsby, a spokesman for US Army Central Command (Centcom), in a statement.
“We found no sign of civilian casualties following the drone attack. [aparelho não tripulado] MQ-9, “he added,” about the actions carried out in the Suluk region of northern Syria, which is under Turkish control.
The spokesman did not indicate whether the move was in response to Wednesday’s attack on al-Tanf base in the south, used by a US-led international coalition near the borders with Jordan and Iraq.
“Al Qaeda continues to pose a threat to the United States and its allies,” he said.
The group “is using Syria as a retreat base to rebuild itself, coordinate with affiliates and plan overseas operations,” he added.
“The removal of this al-Qaeda leader will affect the ability of the terrorist organization to plan and carry out attacks on US citizens, our partners and innocent civilians,” he said.
In late September, the Pentagon eliminated another “al-Qaeda leader” in Syria, Salim Abu Ahmad, in an airstrike near Idleb in the northwest of the country.
About 900 American soldiers remain stationed in northeastern Syria and at al-Tanf base in the south.
