Dec. 12 (UPI) — U.S. Central Command confirmed two ISIS officials were killed by U.S. forces early Sunday in a successful helicopter raid in Syria.
CENTCOM said the raid operation by the United States was a unilateral operation that was extensively planned.
“ISIS continues to represent a threat to the security and stability of the region. This operation reaffirms CENTCOM’s steadfast commitment to ensuring the group’s enduring defeat,” CENTCOM spokesperson Joe Buccino said in a statement from the department.
“The death of these ISIS officials will disrupt the terrorist organization’s ability to further plot and carry out destabilizing attacks in the Middle East.”
One of the officials killed in the raid was referred to by CENTCOM as Anas, a “Syria Province Official who was involved in the group’s deadly plotting and facilitation operations in eastern Syria.”
The agency reports that no civilians were killed or injured in the operation.
On Nov. 30, ISIS reported the death of its leader, Abu al-Hasan al-Hashmi al-Qurayshi, as the result of an apparent conflict, according to a spokesperson for the organization.
“I announce and mourn for the Islamic State and the fighters of almighty Islamic State, [the absence] of the amir of believers and the calipha of the Muslims Abu al-Hasan al-Hashmi al-Qurayshi … he was killed while struggling against the enemies’ of God,” said said Abu Omar al-Muhajer.
Al-Qurayshi was killed in mid October, according to the U.S. military. He was installed as the leader of the Islamic State in February after his predecessor Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi was killed.
Al-Qurayshi’s successor was announced as Abu al-Husain al-Husaini al-Quraishi, immediately following the announcement of his death.
Al-Muhajer said the organization’s new leader is a “veteran warrior and one of the loyal sons of the Islamic State.”
