Maher al Agal, leader of the Islamic State (IS) in Syria and a key figure in the expansion of the terrorist network, died in the US attack with a drone or unpiloted device, the US Central Command (Centcom) reported on Tuesday. .
It was one of the two targets of the bombardment launched on the outskirts of Jindaryis, about 50 kilometers from Aleppo. Al Agal was considered one of the top five ISIS bosses in Syria and Iraq. His closest collaborator, whose identity was not given, was seriously injured, Centcom added.
In a first review of the facts, the official statement said that no civilians had been harmed.
“The removal of these leaders curtails the terrorist organization’s ability to plan and carry out further global attacks,” military spokesman Joe Buccino said in that statement. “IS continues to be a threat to the United States and its allies in the region,” he stressed. Buccino remarked that this demonstrates Centcom’s commitment in that territory and perseverance in defeating the Islamic State.
The military operation comes just on the eve of President Joe Biden’s first trip to the Middle East. Biden left the White House on Tuesday night and this Wednesday his program in Israel begins, with subsequent visits to Palestine and Saudi Arabia.
Those responsible for Centcom underlined the extensive planning to guarantee the success of the action. “We maintain a sufficient presence in the area to counteract the terrorist threat,” they insisted.
