An airstrike in northwest Syria last week resulted in the death of a senior Islamic State operative, U.S. Central Command announced Wednesday. The operation was part of ongoing U.S. efforts to counter terrorist threats against Americans both domestically and abroad.
The targeted individual, identified as Ali Husayn al-Ulaywi, was killed on Friday. Syrian activists had initially reported an airstrike on a motorcycle near the village of Deir Hassan, close to the Turkish border, which resulted in one fatality. The identity of the target was not immediately clear at the time.
Despite the territorial defeat of the Islamic State in Syria in 2019, remnants of the group, often referred to as sleeper cells, remain active. These cells have claimed responsibility for attacks in Syria, particularly following the fall of the five-decade Assad family rule in December.
CENTCOM commander Adm. Brad Cooper stated that the command and its partners are committed to eradicating the remaining elements of ISIS to ensure its lasting defeat. He reiterated the U.S. military's dedication to defending the homeland, its service members, and its allies and partners in the region.
In February, an audio message attributed to IS spokesman Abu Huzaifa al-Ansari urged followers worldwide to target Jewish and Western interests, echoing past calls to action. The U.S. military's previous strikes against IS targets in Syria occurred in February, in response to an ambush that resulted in the deaths of two U.S. soldiers and one American civilian interpreter. At that time, Central Command reported that at least 50 IS members were killed or apprehended.