Senior al-Qaeda Leader Dead After US Strike in Syria: CENTCOM

An MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted craft flies by during a grooming ngo astatine Creech Air Force Base successful Indian Springs, Nev., connected Nov. 17, 2015. (Isaac Brekken/Getty Images)

A U.S. airstrike successful northwest Syria has killed a elder al-Qaeda person connected Friday, the U.S. Central Command announced successful a release.

U.S. Army Maj. John Rigsbee, a CENTCOM spokesperson, said Abdul Hamid al-Matar was killed successful the vicinity of Suluk successful northwest Syria.

The onslaught was conducted utilizing an MQ-9 aircraft—an armed, remotely piloted aircraft.

There are “no indications of civilian casualties arsenic a effect of the strike.”

“Al-Qaeda continues to contiguous a menace to America and our allies. Al-Qaeda uses Syria arsenic a harmless haven to rebuild, coordinate with outer affiliates, and program outer operations. Al-Qaeda besides uses Syria arsenic a basal for threats reaching into Syria, Iraq, and beyond,” helium said successful a statement.

“The removal of this al-Qaeda elder person volition disrupt the violent organization’s quality to further crippled and transportation retired planetary attacks threatening U.S. citizens, our partners, and guiltless civilians,” helium added.

“The U.S. volition proceed to people members of al-Qaeda and different violent organizations who mean to harm the U.S. homeland.”

The onslaught comes 2 days aft a basal lodging U.S. troops successful confederate Syria was attacked.

It is unclear whether the U.S. drone strike connected Friday was carried retired successful retaliation.