The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) reported the elimination of the leader of the Islamic State (ISIS), Abu Yusuf, in an airstrike in Syria.
According to the U.S. military, the strike was carried out with high precision in the Syrian province of Deir ez-Zor, where, in addition to Yusuf, another militant was also killed. The operation took place in an area previously controlled by the Syrian regime and Russian forces.
CENTCOM Commander General Michael Eric Kurilla stated that the airstrike is part of U.S. efforts to prevent the strengthening of ISIS amid the weakening of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria. Additionally, the U.S. carried out several dozen airstrikes on ISIS targets in Syria in December. The general added that the terrorist group is attempting to free over 8,000 of its fighters from Syrian prisons.
The Pentagon also reported that the U.S. has more than doubled its military presence in Syria, increasing the number of troops to 2,000, to combat ISIS.
