On Thursday, U.S. forces killed ISIS leader Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi in northwestern Syria.
“U.S. Special Operations forces under the control of U.S. Central Command conducted a counterterrorism mission this evening in northwest Syria. The mission was successful. There were no U.S. casualties. More information will be provided as it becomes available,” Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said in a statement.
President Biden also released a statement, saying, “Last night at my direction, U.S. military forces in the northwest Syria successfully undertook a counterterrorism operation to protect the American people and our Allies, and make the world a safer place. Thanks to the skill and bravery of our Armed Forces, we have taken off the battlefield Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi—the leader of ISIS. All Americans have returned safely from the operation. I will deliver remarks to the American people later this morning. May God protect our troops.”
“Soon after special operators landed and approached the multistory building, Qurayshi, who lived on the third floor with his family, detonated an explosive, killing himself and his family,” U.S. officials said, according to The Wall Street Journal.
“In a final act of desperate cowardice, with no regard to the lives of his own family or others in the building, he chose to blow himself up—not just the vest, but to blow up that third floor—rather than face justice for the crimes he committed,” Biden said during a White House address on Thursday.
Biden added, “Knowing that this terrorist had chosen to surround himself with families, including children, we made a choice to pursue a special forces raid at a much greater risk to our own people rather than targeting him with an airstrike. We made this choice to minimize civilian casualties.”
