August 24, 2024

The US Central Command (Centcom) confirmed on Friday the elimination of a senior member of Tanzim Hurras ad-Din, an organization affiliated with Al-Qaeda, during a targeted operation in Syria. This group, according to Centcom, shares with Al-Qaeda the ambition to carry out attacks against Western and American interests in the region.

Local sources, including the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, report that a drone targeted a motorcycle on the southern outskirts of Idlib, neutralizing an individual believed to be of Saudi nationality.

This intervention is part of the American military presence in Syria, where nearly 900 soldiers are deployed within the anti-IS coalition. Although the Islamic State was territorially defeated in 2019, thanks to the joint efforts of this coalition and the Syrian Kurdish forces, the jihadist threat persists.

Since their defeat, many ISIS fighters have retreated to the Syrian desert, from where they continue to carry out attacks, mainly against the Syrian army and Kurdish forces. This situation maintains security tension in the region, justifying the continuation of American counterterrorism operations.

The strike demonstrates the United States’ continued determination to counter terrorist threats in Syria, even after the formal fall of the ISIS caliphate. It also underscores the complexity of the Syrian jihadist landscape, where various groups affiliated with al-Qaeda or ISIS continue to operate despite setbacks in recent years.